Falafel Cart
| Falafel Cart | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Abdullah Al-Wazzan |
| Written by | Abdullah Al-Wazzan |
| Music by | Dan Phillipson |
| Animation by | Abdullah Al-Wazzan |
| Color process | Color |
Production company | RoyalTales |
| Distributed by | RoyalTales |
Release date |
|
Running time | 14 minutes |
| Country | Kuwait |
| Language | English |
Falafel Cart is a 2019 animated family short drama film produced by RoyalTales and directed by Abdullah Al-Wazzan with an original score by Dan Phillipson and sound design by Andrew Vernon. The short blends Stop motion Animation with traditional and some computer animation.[1] In 2019, the film was submitted for the 2020 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.[2]
Plot
During a stormy night, an immigrant falafel vendor who lives in his cart in the middle of nowhere stumbles upon a mysterious flower. The extraordinary encounter sparks something within him and eventually makes him relive scenes from his past life.
Production
The film was inspired by the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, highlighting the impact on people who are merely seeking a better life. The project first came to life after Al-Wazzan started to experiment with a different form of animation that employed a combination of stop-motion, computer generated animation, claymation and traditional animation. The filmmaker single-handedly animated the entire film, built and painted hundreds of models, puppets and backgrounds in a span of three years in order to achieve a distinct world for the film.[1]
Release
Falafel Cart first premiered theatrically in Los Angeles, California on September 13, 2019.[3] The film then began its festival run at the Los Angeles Animation Festival on December 8, 2019 where it won Best International Short Film.[4] It also showed at the 2020 Athens Animfest in Greece,[5] and the 2020 Sonoma International Film Festival.[6]
| Release date | Country | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 September 2019 | United States | Theatrical release[3] | World Premier |
| 8 December 2019 | United States | Los Angeles Animation Festival[4] | |
| 14 December 2019 | United States | Palm Springs International Animation Festival[7] | |
| March 2020 | Greece | Athens Animfest[5] | |
| 4 March 2020 | United States | DC Independent Film Festival[8] | |
| 30 July 2020 | United States | Sonoma International Film Festival[6] |
Accolades
The film received the following awards and nominations:
| Year | Country | Event | Category | Recipients and nominees | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | United States | Palm Springs International Animation Festival[7] | In Competition Best Animated Short | Abdullah Al-Wazzan | Nominated |
| Los Angeles Animation Festival[4] | Best International Short Film | Won | |||
| 2020 | DC Independent Film Festival[8] | Short Animation Finalist | Nominated |
References
- ^ a b "Home". Falafel Cart. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- ^ de Wit, Alex Dudok (October 18, 2019). "2020 Best Animated Short Film Oscar: A List Of Potentially Qualifying Films In The Category (Exclusive)". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
- ^ a b "2019 Shorts by the Sea". www.laemmle.com. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
- ^ a b c "2019 WINNERS – December 5-6 2020". LAA Fest. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
- ^ a b "Athens Animfest 2020 - Falafel Cart". athensanimfest.eu. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
- ^ a b "2020 Sonoma International Film Festival". sonoma2020.eventive.org. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
- ^ a b "'Funan' and 'I Lost My Body' Lead Film Selections at PSIAF 2019". Animation World Network. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
- ^ a b Festival, DC Independent Film (January 7, 2020). "Announcing with Zest: DCIFF 2020 Animation and Web Series Finalists". DCIFF. Retrieved March 28, 2020.