- by Yazeed Kamaldien

Moving Things is a showcase of films that employ puppetry on screen to enhance fascinating storytelling. It runs at the Labia Cinema (021-424-5927) in central Cape Town until September 11.

Among the options are short films from various countries. There is also a series of behind-the-scenes cinematic pieces that takes viewers into the world of puppet making. It’s an intriguing introduction into the world of string-pullers.

‘Handspring – A Celebration’ is a collection of several short films “celebrating the genius behind War Horse”. The latter is a theatre show, by the Cape Town-based Handspring Puppet Company, that is currently running in London and New York. Further shows are planned for Canada and Japan. This series of short films will play at the Labia Cinema on Thursday, September 8, at 12pm.

‘Handmade Puppet Dream Highlights’ is a “brand new collection of intriguing puppet film shorts created by independent artists exploring their handmade craft specifically for the camera”. Heather Henson, daughter of Jim Henson who created The Muppets, compiled this offering. It shows at the Labia Cinema on Friday, September 9, at 2pm.

Another worth-checking-out selection is ‘The Emotional Life of Inanimate Objects’ which is short experimental films “using found figures, collage elements and re-photography”. It shows at the Labia Cinema on Friday, September 9, at 6pm.

Cape Town-based model and actress Cezanne de Klerk joined us for the ‘Handmade Puppet Dream Highlights’. She had never seen puppets used as central characters in films before and this selection has opening her mind to this craft. But she’s a critic waiting for a platform too – who isn’t – and told us what she thought after the screening.

Cezanne de Klerk shares her views on puppets on film. Photo by Yazeed Kamaldien www.yazkam.com

 

“I’m struggling to identify between story and visual arts. I’m confused what the main focus is in these films. I’m naturally going to look at how well the puppets and props are used. The feel I got was that the creatives focused more on getting good puppetry going but ignored the storyline,” said De Klerk.

“There were moments that were fun and fresh. It was great to see puppets in a movie.”

For more film options log on to www.outheboxfestival.com.

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