After a mysterious crash landing, a young boy wakes up alone on an exotic island. He's being chased by a dark spirit, although it's unclear whether the spirit means to help or harm the boy. A motorcycle appears, providing safe travel to the boy, and he makes friends with a local songbird who offers guidance. Soon they are off on their own adventure, trying to escape the dark spirit, learn more about the mysterious crash landing, and uncover the true nature of the exotic island.
Written, produced, directed, scored, and animated entirely by award winning Latvian filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis, AWAY was beautifully crafted over a period of more than three years, developed from a previous short Zilbalodis had been working on. The story, told without dialogue over a series of breathtaking backgrounds, is equally inspired by reality, dreams, and waking fantasies.
STILLS
STATEMENTS
"I'm very happy and relieved that I managed to actually finish the film. The main theme of the story is about connecting with people, and I can't wait to share it with the world."
- Gints Zilbalodis, Director
"When we first saw 'Away', we knew it was a perfect fit for the label. Gints's film is quintessentially subliminal... it speaks volumes without requiring any dialogue, and it's imminently relatable even if you're not familiar with the medium of animation. Regardless of what audiences may take from it, 'Away' is a universal lesson in empathy, understanding, discovery, and self realization. The world would be a more compassionate place if all artists took the time to craft stories as personal and human as this one."
- Subliminal Films
BIOGRAPHIES
Gints Zilbalodis (Director) is a Latvian filmmaker and animator. His fascination for filmmaking began at an early age watching classic films and making shorts and commercials. He has made 7 short films in various mediums, including hand drawn animation, 3D animation, and live action, often mixing their characteristic aesthetics. His previous short films include 'Rush' (2010), 'Aqua' (2012), 'Clarity' (2012), 'Priorities' (2014), 'Followers' (2014), 'Inaudible' (2015), and 'Oasis' (2017).