This poetic and philosophical rumination on nature, seasons, cycles, and the unavoidable speed bumps in the road of life uses a first-person narrative and a wash of impressionistic colors in its evocation of gardens, both real and metaphorical. From dead cats and howling coyotes to the miracle of growth and healing, “Last Summer in the Garden” recounts one woman’s journey through a joyful, fearful time of death and rebirth.
(From the 18th Animation Show of Shows Press Release)
“Art is Food. You can’t eat it but it feeds you.” – Bread & Puppet Theatre
“The feeling of tending the garden did not differ greatly from the art of making a film about it – first I had to dig deep – to examine what was at the root of the endeavor, and then to dare to imagine what it could look like during times when it seemed nothing would grow. We are faced daily with many fears and anxieties. Our phones ping at all hours, we’re tuned in, plugged in and notifications are on, and yet we are less connected to the Earth’s natural rhythms. Most of us have some inkling about how nighttime feels, or during which seasons things grow – but we rely on ecologically damaging chains of production that our ancestors could not have imagined. Working frame by frame allowed me to slow down in the same way that examining seeds geminating and learning to recognize each plant did. Returning to the light table, to the pencil and paper felt like a renaissance – another chance to connect with those who had come before. I had to take it one piece at a time, to cultivate my garden, and to trust that the results of my continued practice would eventually lead to a harvest.”
Official Selection: Ottawa International Animation Festival, Les Sommets du Cinema d’Animation, London International Animation Festival, Golden Kuker-Sofia International Animation Festival, Anibar International Animation Festival, Animation Block Party, 18th Animation Show of Shows, LunaFest
Last summer, in the garden is available exclusively through the Animation Show of Shows. Available on demand through Vimeo.