A hybrid of illustrated animation and everyday imagery—from a seemingly suburban household to the heart of the savanna—sets the scene for a film that floats between the real and exaggerated. As middle-aged Linda and Troyer are abandoned by their tour in the savanna, they use their little-known survival skills and wishful thinking to trudge through a world unlike their own.
Filmmakers Nicolas Keppens and Matthias Philips set Wildebeest, with a twenty-minute run time, to keep themes such as Linda’s obsession with elephants and Troyer’s manhood, often questioned by his partner, at the forefront of the characters’ endeavors. While this creates tension in some cases, it overwhelmingly creates a realistic bond between the pair, a bond that speaks to the reliance humans have on others, whether that is in a setting that is familiar or foreign.
Animation plays the lead role in this film; adapting itself as the characters grow more weary after encountering forest fires, wild animals, and even resorting to hydration via urine. From the opening shot to its closing one, the success of the narrative, in this writer’s view, cannot be divorced from the style in which it is presented.
Playing heavily on man’s dependence on the outside world for assistance, this film proves that sometimes a little passion and fortitude can bring you home.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Photos courtesy of FLYING FILM FESTIVAL
About the Author:
Margaret Smith is a writer, editor, and critic achieving her B.A. from Columbia College Chicago. Having migrated from small-town Illinois, she now dwells in Chicago with a curious eye for art and a penchant for commentary. When not putting pen to paper, you might catch her about the city sipping coffee and filling in crossword puzzles.
