Watch: Existential Animated Short ‘Life is a Particle Time is a Wave’

Watch: Existential Animated Short ‘Life is a Particle Time is a Wave’

by Alex Billington
January 2, 2023
Source: Vimeo

What do all these moments in time on this planet mean for each and every one of us? What do we make of our lives when we look back on them? Where do we find comfort? These are some of the questions address in this fascinating, existential short titled Life is a Particle Time is a Wave made by filmmaker Daniel Zvereff. This 10 min animated short premiered at the SXSW Film Festival last year and is now online. In an attempt to ease his sadness, a widowed watchmaker spends his days in solitude, distracting himself with repetitive activities to pass the time. Broken, like the old watches he repairs, he searches for ways to mend his soul and body, looking for meaning and respite in the ebb of time that remains. The film is made from “~3200 sheets of 12×18 medium weight drawing paper” with charcoal pencil & willow charcoal. I really dig the music in this by Sami Jano. There’s no dialogue – it’s a hypnotic story about all of the little things in life.

Thanks to Vimeo Staff Picks for the tip on this one. Brief description from Vimeo: “A widowed watchmaker, isolated in his remaining days, occupies himself with tasks and hobbies. Like a prisoner, he finds comfort in the memories of his life, searching for meaning in the familiarity of the past.” Life is a Particle Time is a Wave is written and directed and illustrated by Brooklyn-based filmmaker Daniel Zvereff – you can see more of his work on his Vimeo and visit his official website or follow him on IG @zvereff. Featuring music and sound design by Sami Jano, and graphic design Elsa Chiao. This film originally premiered at many 2022 festivals including SXSW, Ann Arbor, Athens, Florida; and winner of the Best Animated Film Jury Award at the American Documentary & Animation Festival. For more info on the film, including a behind-the-scenes look at the creation process, head to Daniel’s site. To discover many more shorts, click here. Your thoughts?

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