Legends, Myths, Faith & Fairy Tales

The Annunciation is a brief yet momentous occasion plucked from the classic biblical motif in which the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will conceive and be the mother of Jesus. A captivating, incredibly short work produced by Wim Wenders. Yes, that Wim Wenders.

An arrogant young man dares to enter Baba Yaga’s living house of bones. Seeking to be forever young, the man mocks and tries to trick the old witch, only to be caught by his own vanity. What emerges will forever fill the night with terror. Some say this is how Dracula came to be!

Deep in a Norwegian forest there is an old man living an orderly and quiet life. Closed off from the rest of the world, he spends his days with his lifelong friend, a troll. The folklore of the northern trolls dates back thousands of years. Gentle and delightful to watch, Forget-Me-Not evokes a warmth rarely enjoyed in the cinema.

On a day like any other, a young girl spins her loom. When an apple falls from the tree, she bites into it, finding a tiny worm inside. Pitying the poor creature, she rests it on her wheel. The worm begins to spin by doing a magic dance, creating abundance for the girl. When her father discovers this secret, he exploits the worm’s magic for his personal gain and a power struggle ensues. This tale has many versions and reaches to the Persian dynasty of the third century C.E. It is thought to tell the story of Persia’s affluence derived from its silk-making secrets.

When Sherry and Larry find each other, a romance fit for a storybook begins. They get married, buy a house, and settle into their new found happiness. Then, one day, a peculiar woman informs Sherry that her happily ever after will grow by one: a son! Nine months later, it’s not a boy but a girl who appears, adding so much joy to their fanciful life...until she doesn't. At 10 years old she proclaims that she is not a she at all. The admission leaves Sherry and Larry reeling, feeling as though they've lost their only child. Will they find the courage to live beyond the classic narrative and write a new story… one of love and acceptance?

The cycle of life and death plays out amongst a cast of unique porcelain puppets in a dense forest, reminding us that life exists by merely a thread. In this film's strange beauty also lives the magic of filmstock's grain, a rare treat for stop-motion aficionados, which also references Estonian and Mexican folklore. The story is universal and timeless.