The Cannes Festival revealed Wednesday, 15 April, its first round of films in the 2015 Official Selection. Among the titles selected for Cinéfondation, Cannes' competition for film-school films, is Sofie Nørgaard Kampmark's "Tsunami," her graduation film from the Animation Workshop, one of Denmark’s most respected animation schools.
"Tsunami" is the story of Haru who returns to his village after a devastating tidal wave and discovers a Sea Spirit trapped on the second floor of his house. Haru soon realises he has to face his loss and help the creature return to the sea to restore nature’s balance.
"I was living in Tokyo in 2011 and experienced the earthquake and the tsunami at close hand. I met a man who had lost much of his family but said that the sea had never been more beautiful than after the tsunami. The way that the Japanese coped with their grief was so impressive and beautiful. It was a huge eye-opener for me," says Sofie Nørgaard Kampmark.
"Tsunami" is one of 18 films chosen from among the 1,600 works submitted by film schools from around the globe. The three Cinéfondation prizes will be awarded at a ceremony on Friday, 22 May.
The full list of films in the official programme is to be revealed during a press conference 16 April in Paris. The remaining series will be announced in the coming weeks.
Cannes Festival / 13-24 May 2015
Danish Directors in Cinéfondation / Previous Years
2012 Slug Invasion / Morten Helgeland, Casper Wermuth / The Animation Workshop, Viborg
2009 The Sylpphid / Dorte Bengtson / National Film School of Denmark
2005 Exit / Robert Depuis / National Film School of Denmark
2004 Happy Now / Frederikke Aspöck / Tisch School of the Arts / 1st Prize
2003 The Pact / Heidi Maria Faisst / National Film School of Denmark
2000 India / Pernille Fischer Christensen / National Film School of Denmark / 3rd Prize
1999 Little Big Dog / Bo Hagen Clausen /National Film School of Denmark / 3rd Prize