Program Note
An apple salesman sees his farm destroyed by beavers and goes on the revenge journey. After a winter-long struggle hunting and fishing for survival, the man eventually meets a merchant, who promises the man to marry the merchant’s beautiful daughter by bringing hundreds of beaver carcasses, hence leading the man’s outrageous hunting expedition.
A truly groundbreaking technical achievement, Mike Cheslik’s Hundreds of Beavers showcases his zany humor, presenting a live-action homage to the silent-film era and the golden age of animation in the 1920s and 30s Hollywood, but with independent budget and spirits. His striking visual imagination is evident with use of complex animation, aided by a remarkable leading performance by Ryland Brickson Cole Tews as the beaver hunter. This is a unique film that will surprise the audiences in more ways than one. (Jongsuk Thomas Nam)