New Animated Short Is “Homage To Bermuda”

Screening at eight US and international film festivals in the coming weeks, the new animated Bermuda-based short “Telling A You” is set on the island in the 1960s and involves an accidental street corner “meet-cute” between a woman and a man who never forgets this briefest of encounters.

German director/writer Margarethe Baillou — a part-time Bermuda resident — said the man lovingly stores away every detail of the incident, turning a seemingly ordinary moment in time into an extraordinary moment in two people’s lives.

“The plot for ‘Telling A You’ came to me during one of my favorite pastimes: people watching,” she said. “At times of massive streams of information, overstimulation of all senses and people’s constant focus on their smartphones, the guarded modern person has to practice seeing small, precious moments in life that can be anything from amusing to touching or even life-changing: ‘Telling A You’ tells a romantic version of such a moment.

“A man and a woman meet in an everyday moment, yet both take the time and have the courage to stop in time, live in the moment and, whether it will just be making a memory or the beginning of a love story, they take note of one another and witness each other, thus connecting in a most fundamental way. I am often under the impression people have stopped taking time to taste moments like that, for reasons ranging from ‘lack of time’ to sheer fear of disappointment.”

A graduate of the American University in Paris and Columbia University, she said she chose the 1960s as time period for “Telling A You” because of her admiration of its fashion: feminine, elegant dresses and handbags for the ladies and handsome suits [“or, in our case, suit jacket and Bermuda shorts”), ties and hats for men. Even the scooter and scooter helmet designs are based on 1960s originals.

“After three years of deciding on a location, I chose Bermuda as the backdrop for ‘Telling A You’ due to its captivating colour palette, unique architectural structures and the mere fact that Bermudians still take their time doing things, which I have learned to recognise as a virtuous characteristic rather than an irritating one,” she said. “Adding to the anthropological aspect of a specifically located project, we cast two gifted local actors whose voices flavor the audience’s journey to Bermuda.

“In sum, ‘Telling A You’ is my personal audio-visual homage to that tiny country in the middle of the Atlantic, famous for its hospitality, pastel cottages and tranquil steadfastness in today’s hectic world.”

The five-minute film features the vocal talents of Bermuda residents Dimitri Philpott and Lexy Correia and Cha’Von K. Clarke of CKC Spotlight Talent Agency and CKC Books was casting director, line producer and publicist for the short film.

New York composer Jody Gray, who scored the film, said: “What an honour for Spotlight Talent Agency and the featured actors to participate in one of Bermuda’s first animated narrative shorts! ‘Telling A You’ is a great tale about the enchantment of love at first sight, and the colourful dialogue brings passion, honour and honesty through the characters.

“The Bermudian voices and setting make this project a true celebration of Bermuda, its people and its warm beauty. To make history on a project that is sure to welcome warm accolades and an enthusiastic audience is an extraordinary opportunity for the participants and the island as a whole.”

“Telling A You’s” animations and sound design were done by Ireland’s Treehouse Republic and Tinpot Productions.

“Modern technology successfully ensured a fantastic workflow between the islands of Manhattan, Bermuda and Ireland for our romantic short film, exemplifying that a love story really has no borders,” said Ms Baillou, who also served as the film’s producer and production designer.

Ms Baillou heads MYRA [Movement. Youth. Resources. Art.] Entertainment, LLC, an independent, boutique-style film production company based in New York City.

Projects include feature films, documentaries, short films and video art.

Intended to contribute to the well-being of society, and children in particular, all projects are violence-free and aim to be of entertaining, inspirational and educational in character.

Production wrapped on “Telling A You” in January and the short film has already screend at festivals in Hawaii and California.

Between now and June, the film is slated to be shown at festivals in Michigan, Texas, New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New Jersey and France.

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