The National Film School of Denmark Animation Graduates: Rasmus Sølvsten and Nothing Will Die
We are sitting in a bird's nest, the style is 2D animation in what appears very hand-drawn. You get a sense that the world is dangerous and ominous. Chicks fill the nest, and a big bird swoops down. You take in the world and begin to wonder what it's all about.
We are sitting in a bird's nest, the style is 2D animation in what appears very hand-drawn. You get a sense that the world is dangerous and ominous. Chicks fill the nest, and a big bird swoops down. You take in the world and begin to wonder what it's all about.
- Gunnar Wille
Rasmus Sølvsten's "Nothing Will Die" is a 2D animated film executed almost entirely in greyscale, devoid of color, which is extremely suitable for the dark nature of the subject matter. Although the creature design emphasizes the cuteness of our protagonist birds, the story is anything but cute, focused on the sometimes brutal fight for survival.
Talking about the inspiration for the film, Sølvsten says:
I wanted to portray the true darkness of nature, all the pain and suffering, but also underline the incredible willpower and strength that all animals possess. I was in a dark time of my life, when I realized that we humans, at least in my part of the world, take things for granted and fail to realize how much worse things could be. Personally, it really helps me get through stuff, to think about my pain being shared, not only with other humans, but all living things. It seems that pain and death are the only things we all have in common across culture and even species. The world is a brutal place, no matter what form you arrive here in. And I feel we often forget that. When the birds are chirping, a great drama is taking place, much greater than we think. It might seem cosy and nice, when we hear the baby birds from the nest and see their parents bring them food, but it is a constant battle for survival, from the second they are brought into the world. As a director, I find some comfort in the fact that we all share something across species. A wish to continue. And the pain that comes with that wish. The title "Nothing Will Die" refers to the beautiful poem of the same name, written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. A poem which the movie itself reflects. I find it optimistic and hopeful in a confusing and often depressing world. Nothing will die. And nothing would live, if it wasn't for the sunlight that reaches our planet in about the time it takes for you to watch this movie.
As a director, I find some comfort in the fact that we all share something across species.
"Nothing Will Die" is a visually striking film, and indicates a promising future in animation for Sølvsten and the rest of the student team.
Stills from the film
Behind the scenes
Nothing Will Die
Logline
A young blackbird fights against nature and its siblings to survive as they grow up in a nest
Synopsis
Five baby birds are born into a threatening and overwhelming world. As their mother struggles to protect them from merciless predators, the baby birds fight their own battles for her attention. A story of survival, the cycle of life, and hope amidst the unforgiving realities of nature.
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