Mermaid (film)
Encyclopedia
Mermaid is a 1996 Russian animated short film directed by Aleksandr Petrov and showcasing the paint-on-glass animation
technique for which Petrov is known. The story is based on traditional Slavic folklore about the rusalki
, river-dwelling mermaids said to be "born" from the unhappy souls of young women who had committed suicide by drowning -- usually after being mistreated by a man. The Russian "mermaid" is, for this reason, a dangerous creature more akin to the Greek siren
s than to Disney's cute and lovable Ariel
.
rescues a naked girl who has apparently fallen into the water. She disappears suddenly, but returns time and time again over the ensuing months -- first demonstrating her dolphin
-like swimming ability (and her surprising technique of catching fish in her teeth!) and then winning the young man's heart with her coquettish flirting and beautiful singing.
The young monk's elderly master comes to understand that the rusalka is actually the drowned spirit of a girlfriend he himself had loved and betrayed as a youth, and takes steps to protect his naive apprentice from her supernatural revenge. But when the mermaid recognizes the old monk as the man who had once jilted her, it may not be the young apprentice who is in mortal danger.
Paint-on-glass animation
Paint-on-glass animation is a technique for making animated films by manipulating slow-drying oil paints on sheets of glass. Gouache mixed with glycerine is sometimes used instead...
technique for which Petrov is known. The story is based on traditional Slavic folklore about the rusalki
Rusalka
In Slavic mythology, a rusalka was a female ghost, water nymph, succubus, or mermaid-like demon that dwelled in a waterway....
, river-dwelling mermaids said to be "born" from the unhappy souls of young women who had committed suicide by drowning -- usually after being mistreated by a man. The Russian "mermaid" is, for this reason, a dangerous creature more akin to the Greek siren
Siren
In Greek mythology, the Sirens were three dangerous mermaid like creatures, portrayed as seductresses who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. Roman poets placed them on an island called Sirenum scopuli...
s than to Disney's cute and lovable Ariel
The Little Mermaid (1989 film)
The Little Mermaid is a 1989 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name. Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, the film was originally released to theaters on November 14, 1989 and is the twenty-eighth film in...
.
Plot
As springtime begins to break up the ice on a frozen river, a handsome young novice monkMonk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
rescues a naked girl who has apparently fallen into the water. She disappears suddenly, but returns time and time again over the ensuing months -- first demonstrating her dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
-like swimming ability (and her surprising technique of catching fish in her teeth!) and then winning the young man's heart with her coquettish flirting and beautiful singing.
The young monk's elderly master comes to understand that the rusalka is actually the drowned spirit of a girlfriend he himself had loved and betrayed as a youth, and takes steps to protect his naive apprentice from her supernatural revenge. But when the mermaid recognizes the old monk as the man who had once jilted her, it may not be the young apprentice who is in mortal danger.
Awards
- 19971997 in film-Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*...
—Berlin International Film FestivalBerlin International Film FestivalThe Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
: Golden BearGolden BearAccording to legend, the Golden Bear was a large golden Ursus arctos. Members of the Ursus arctos species can reach masses of . The Grizzly Bear and the Kodiak Bear are North American subspecies of the Brown Bear....
Nomination for "Best Animated Short Film" - 1997—Annecy International Animated Film FestivalAnnecy International Animated Film FestivalThe Annecy International Animation Film Festival was created in 1960 and takes place at the beginning of June in the town of Annecy, France. Initially occurring every two years, the festival became annual in 1998...
: "Jury Prize" - 19981998 in film-Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:...
—Academy AwardsAcademy AwardsAn Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
: Nominated for "Best Animated Short Film" - 1998—Animafest Zagreb: "Grand Prize"