Glasgow Short Film Festival: 'First' animated opera leads 'unleashed' programme

The first newly commissioned opera made specifically for animation is to be premiered at a film festival in Glasgow.

Animated opera Josefine the Singer, performed by Scottish Opera, is part of the line up announced for the Glasgow Short Film Festival (GSFF) that takes place next month.

Glasgow Short Film Festival takes place next month. | Glasgow Short Film Festival

The 14 minute film will be screened alongside a diverse range of other short works, including The Disco: A Portrait of Simon Eilbeck, a sound and image portrait of the Scottish DJ, and a selection of four films charting Gaza in the past and present in collaboration with Palestinian collective Gaza Film Unit. There is also a spotlight on Indonesian filmmaker Riar Rizaldi, who will be in attendance for two retrospective screenings and a live sound-based performance.

Now in its 18th year, the festival will bring elements of the programme to the populations of HMP Polmont, as well as running workshops for prisoners.

Festival director Matt Lloyd said: “I can’t wait to unleash this programme on Glasgow. Touching on themes of grief, loss, community and speculative history, it offers a wide-ranging response to, and engagement with, contemporary realities and challenges. This has been a truly collaborative effort between programmers Ren Scateni and Oisín Kealy and a range of independent curators and partners, some returning, some new to GSFF.”

Scottish Opera has created a 14 minute animated opera. | Scottish Opera

Mr Lloyd said the festival had collaborated with Minikino Film Week to host Indonesian filmmaker Haris Yuliyanto for two weeks, while a Scottish filmmaker will have the opportunity to visit Bali in September.

The festival director added: “Above all, GSFF exists to nurture and inspire diverse forms of cinematic expression, in Scotland and around the world, and these two initiatives do exactly that.”

Chair of Glasgow Life, Bailie Annette Christie, said: “Over the years, Glasgow Short Film Festival has grown into Scotland’s premier short film event, uniting filmmakers and film fans to celebrate bold and original storytelling.

“Now in its 18th edition, this year’s festival promises to entertain, spark discussion and challenge perspectives, with an exciting programme of ground-breaking films. Hosting GSFF further reinforces Glasgow’s reputation as a leading destination for world-class culture and international cinema, and we look forward to welcoming everyone in March."

Josefine the Singer is directed by Scottish Opera’s resident filmmaker Antonia Bain and written by former emerging artist composer-in-residence Samuel Bordoli. The piece explores the complicated relationship between the singer and audience and the question of art’s place in times of crisis.

Alex Reedijk, Scottish Opera general director said: “We're delighted that Josefine will have its Scottish premiere at Glasgow Short Film Festival. Renowned for championing bold, experimental filmmaking, GSFF is the ideal platform for our first venture into animated opera.

“Josefine represents our commitment to pushing creative boundaries and finding new ways to present opera, and The Grosvenor Cinema provides the perfect setting to introduce audiences to this exciting new way of experiencing this wonderful art form.”

Tickets go on sale on Wednesday for the event, which holds screenings at GFT, Civic House and Grosvenor Picture Theatre from March 19 to 23.