Leonafia

Alexandra Ostroushko

See it On Campus: Level 1

Visitor Info

VIVO Distribution Award — Winner

Synopsis:

“Leonafia,” the country in which people were once bound by a common dream of flying, tragically collapses over the course of a single night. The protagonist’s lifelong dream of being able to fly is now met with laughter and skepticism by the society descending into crime, poverty, and despair. Remaining true to his dream, he endures many hardships, supported by the children of his neighborhood, who help him engineer and test his flying machines. The dream becomes reality in a way that could not be foreseen.

Trailer:

Artist Statement:

Leonafia is a hybrid animated short film that blends under the camera oil painting animation, and cut-out techniques. Inspired by early Soviet Cubo-Futurism and Constructivism movements, I wanted this film to construct a dynamic, geometric universe which constantly shifts from abstraction to reality. Leonafia is both a fictional narrative, and a reflection on the downfall of a country, in which my parents were born and which has disappeared thereafter—the Soviet Union. The idea for the story began as a metaphor for “The Man Who Wanted to Fly”—a tribute to my father’s fascination with cosmology and aviation, but during the process it has evolved into something much more personal and, to a certain extent, autobiographical.