The Prince Charles Cinema

World of Tomorrow Trilogy + Me

World of Tomorrow Trilogy + Me

  • 105mins
  • (PG)
  • Animation
Directed by Don Hertzfeldt Starring Julia Pott, Winona Mae, Sara Cushman

ME:
Don Hertzfeldt’s newest animated film ME is a 22-minute musical odyssey about trauma, technology, and the retreat of humanity into itself. Indiewire has described it as “soul-shaking” and “a triumph”.

World of Tomorrow Trilogy:
ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE: BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM
WINNER: SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL - GRAND JURY PRIZE FOR SHORT FILM

A little girl is taken on a mind-bending tour of her distant future.

Don Hertzfeldt is a two-time Academy Award nominee whose animated films include It's Such a Beautiful Day, the World of Tomorrow series, and Rejected. His work has played around the world, receiving hundreds of awards, and in 2014 made a special guest appearance on The Simpsons. Eight of his films have screened in competition at the Sundance Film Festival, where he is the only filmmaker to have won the Grand Jury Prize for Short Film twice.

After animating for over twenty years using traditional tools (pencil, paper, and 35mm cameras), World of Tomorrow was Hertzfeldt's first digital production.

Indiewire called the first episode of World of Tomorrow "one of the best films of 2015," while The Dissolve named it "one of the finest achievements in sci-fi in recent memory." The A.V. Club described the film as "visionary" and "possibly the best film of 2015." Rolling Stone ranked World of Tomorrow #10 on its list of the "Greatest Animated Movies Ever."

World of Tomorrow Episode Two: The Burden of Other People’s Thoughts was released in 2017, followed by World of Tomorrow Episode Three: The Absent Destinations of David Prime in 2020. Each received rare “A+” reviews from Indiewire and were ranked by many critics as the best films of their year, despite their short film running times.

Of the "dreamy, beloved" ongoing series, The Film Stage wrote, "Hertzfeldt has crafted what might be the crowning achievement of modern science fiction."

The first film’s voice cast stars English illustrator Julia Pott alongside Hertzfeldt's four-year-old niece, Winona.

Winona's voice was quietly recorded while she and Hertzfeldt drew pictures together and talked about the world.  From these raw sessions,  Hertzfeldt took her candid reactions and partially rewrote the story (and Julia's lines) to create their characters' seamless conversations.

"One of 2015's best films... exceedingly brilliant... Bursting with creativity and hilarity, it’s a profoundly affecting piece of work that demands to be seen."  -  Jordan Raup,  The Film Stage

"A masterpiece... one of the best sci-fi movies in years."  -  Chris Plante,  The Verge

"The best movie of the year... the rare short film that is treated by many fans as an equal to all other movies released in 2015."  - Christopher Campbell, Film School Rejects

"At the risk of perilously underselling it, World of Tomorrow might be one of the most satisfying short films since Chris Marker’s 1962 landmark, La Jetée... and is almost certain to be the highlight of this year’s Sundance, full stop... Wise, hilarious, and formally daring..."  -  Time Out New York

"Astonishing...  Utterly fantastic..." - Noel Murray,  The Dissolve

"Dazzling... spectacular... a marvel... a must-watch... [Hertzfeldt is] one of the most exciting voices in film." - Michael Cusumano, The Film Experience

"Delightful... It’s rare that a film, short or feature, can be so busy and so on point at the same time... Here the traditionally analog filmmaker has embraced digital for the first time. The result allows his animated creativity to flourish, untethered by restraint... There are more big ideas packed into this 16-minute film than there are in most major studios’ entire catalog of science fiction." - Dan Schindel,  Movie Mezzanine


Please Note : The short film ‘ME' contains flashing lights/ strobing/ flickering that may affect those who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy or have other photosensitivities.

Friday 20th September