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Montreal’s Malcom Sutherland is one of the most innovative and talented of animators. His latest film, the whimsical The Astronomer’s Dream is a trippy space odyssey with a unique art style.

The astronomer falls asleep and obtains a solution to his problem. An intricately drawn robot discovers an orbiting robot in its telescope. Excited he tears around his observatory, set in an odd little world, until he can capture the thing. As so often happens with dreams the reality does not quite match the expectation and, following a swift transformation, the robot, much changed, is swallowed whole, a bitter pill causing exhilaration or consternation, it being hard to read robots. Like we humans he does not learn from his experience and the whole episode is much repeated. Symbiosis, symbolism or failed robot love story I’m not sure, but there is a cute conclusion that ties everything up rather philosophically. Leon Lo creates the music with some help from Luise Cambell`s clarinet whilst Lucas Fehr produces the robot’s voice. It all adds up to a surreal piece beautifully drawn with subdued greens and blues.

Malcom Sutherland