London International Animation Festival 2020

Relentless Melt No. 18: Hong Kong Refractions + Max Hattler Intro

Expired November 4, 2020 11:45 PM
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Relentless Melt and the London International Animation Festival are proud to present an online screening of abstract and experimental animations from Hong Kong curated by Max Hattler.


Relentless Melt is a Hong Kong-based society for abstract and experimental moving image, promoting experimental animation around Hong Kong and presenting programmes worldwide including Taiwan, Germany, England, Austria, Denmark and the USA.


Abstract animation plays a vital role in underpinning the core and purest elements of what animation in general is capable of expressing. In turn, this allows animators to produce incredibly interpretative and challenging imagery. These types of films which sit upon the essential elements of what animation is really about remind us that, at heart, it all comes down to having something significant to convey and the ability to articulate that using the most fundamental tools available in the moving image maker’s toolkit.


Abstract or experimental animation is a near-limitless trove from which to draw. It is released from the shackles of building coherent characters and the specific logic of a created world. Although the dissolving of these demands frees the imagination to depict the simplest and most complex thoughts of the artist, it also removes all the distractions and camouflage that a lesser communicator might be able, willing or compelled to hide behind.


Under these terms, abstract animation can be a depiction of just about anything that can nip at the very edges of imagination. These films are born of a near infinite roster of inspirations and they are made with a diverse range of tools and techniques. They can be provocateurs of specific memories, dreams and thoughts, or they can prowl the perimeter fence of our imaginations, pushing us to think harder and look deeper into our scrambled, semi-formed thoughts. These 14 short films, made in Hong Kong by Max Hattler’s students, are the cream of the crop produced within the last few years. And they show that abstract animation can be fun!

Water droplets, bubble smashes and rain dripping. The sound and image of a fountain.

  • Year
    2019
  • Runtime
    3 minutes
  • Country
    Hong Kong
  • Filmmaker
    Wing Ho