A 2014 NFTS graduation film Pineapple Calamari has been selected for the prestigious Toronto Film Festival in the Short Cuts International Programme, where it will receive its Canadian premiere.
It is the only animation from the UK to be included in the programme.
The quirky, colourful stop-motion story features a horse, Pineapple Calamari, who dreams of being a horse-racing champion — but when tragedy befalls the two inseparable women who share his love of riding, he finds his race to the roses abruptly halted.
Directed by Kasia Nalewjka, the screenplay has been written by NFTS graduates Daniel Negret, Kasia Nalewajka and Manuela Lupini.
Producer Daniel Negret says: "The whole team behind Pineapple Calamari is absolutely thrilled to be part of the Toronto Film Festival. It is a true honour to be able to compete with some of the best film-making talent in the world. We are also very grateful to have received support from both the NFTS and the British Council in order to attend these festivals."
Watch the film trailer here
Also premiering at TIFF is the British film Miss Julie starring Jessica Chastain and Colin Farrell on which NFTS Head of Production Design Caroline Amies was the Production Designer and NFTS graduate Antonia Lowe was the Stand By Art Director.
Other NFTS alumni with TIFF film credits are as follows:
The Dead Lands - Digital Compositor Andy Quinn
The 50 Year Argument - Additional Photography Mark Carey
The Imitation Game - Rerecording Mixers Stuart Hilliker & Martin Jensen; Digital Compositor Roni Rodrigues; Art Director Marco Anton Restivo; Stand-By Art Director Huw Arthur
A Little Chaos - Stand-By Art Director Huw Arthur; Digital Compositor Andy Quinn
Mr. Turner - Assistant Art Director Marco Anton Restivo; Digital Compositor Andy Quinn
Roger Waters The Wall - DoP Brett Turnbull
Second Coming - DoP Urszula Pontikos; Production Designer Lisa Hall
’71 - Director Yann Demange; Supervising Sound Editor Paul Davies; Dialogue Editor Jens Petersen
Tales of the Grim Sleeper - Director Nick Broomfield
The Theory of Everything - Conductor Ben Foster; Graphic Designer Louise Begbie
X+Y - Editor Peter Lambert; Composer Martin Phipps; Additional Music Jon Opstad & Roger Goula; Assistant Sound Editor Jens Petersen; Digital Compositor Andy Quinn
Congratulations to all of our graduate film makers.
PINEAPPLE CALAMARI CAST & CREDITS
Director(s): Kasia Nalewajka
Producer: Daniel Negret
Production Company: National Film and Television School
Screenplay: Daniel Negret, Kasia Nalewajka, Manuela Lupini
Cinematographer: Stewart MacGregor
Animator: Kasia Nalewajka
Editor: Manuela Lupini
Sound: Adam Layland
Music: Matt Kelly
Production Designer: Paul Savulescu
