The Masque of Blackness Re-Imagined by Epoh Beech (12′ 45″) 2018
Please also see below films of the monumental outdoor screenings of ‘The Masque of Blackness Re-Imagined’, at The National Theatre Fly Tower, South Bank, London 2018 and at Projektraum Bahnhof 25, Kleve, Germany 2019.
Epoh Beech’s animated film ‘The Masque of Blackness’ (12′ 45″) (2018) reimagines and weaves together elements of Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness and Ben Jonson’s Jacobean play The Masque of Blackness. It has themes of moonlight, rivers and alchemical symbolism.
It was created over 7 years out of thousands of charcoal drawings, the animation explores the spirit of place to take you on a journey from West Africa to the Rivers Thames in London and Rhine in Northern Germany. Our guides on the journey are a time traveling grey seal called Hermes and Pegasus the mythological winged horse.
Kunstverein – Projektraum Bahnhof 25 – Kleve, May – June 2019
The Masque of Blackness – Gallery 46, London E1 2AJ 6th September – 6th October 2018 and Outdoor Screenings at The National Theatre Flytower, South Bank, London – 27th-29th September 2018
The Masque of Blackness – National Theatre Flytower – Outdoor Screening 2018
The Masque of Blackness at the National Theatre Lyttelton Flytower – 27th September – 3 minute film of the event – Live Music by Esben Tjalve
The Masque of Blackness – The National Theatre Lyttelton Flytower from Epoh Beech on Vimeo.
Credits
Drawing and Animation – Epoh Beech
Music – Esben Tjalve
Compositing and Digital Animation – Matthew Thomas
Additional Animation – Aleksandra Zareba – Zeltsch
Movement Reference Modelling – Julia Gillespie
Movement Reference Modelling – Douglas Faulkner
Editing and Sound Design – Matthew Thomas
Written by – Epoh Beech
Directed – Epoh Beech
Produced – Epoh Beech
Stills from the hand drawn animation The Masque of Blackness, (12 minutes 45 seconds)
Film Festival Awards and Official Selections 2019 – 2020
Winner – Best Animated Short Film – St Cloud Film Festival – Minnesota – US
Winner – Best Animated Short Film – International Animation Film Festival Golden – Kuker Sofia, Bulgaria.
Winner – Best Animated UK Short Film – The London International Motion Picture Awards UK
The Honourable Jury Special Mention for Animation – The Noida International Film Festival – India
Nomination for Best International Short Film – The Irish Animation Awards – Ireland
Nomination for Best Animation – The Crystal Palace International Film Festival – UK
Nomination for Best Animation – Underwire Film Festival – London – UK
Nomination for Best Animation – and Best Art Film – New Renaissance FiIm Festival Amsterdam
Nomination for Best Animation – Lebanese Independent Film Festival – Beirut
Nomination for Best Animation – Portobello Film Festival – London UK
Official Selection for Screening – Cinequest International Film Festival – California US
Official Selection for Screening – RiverRun International Film Festival – North Carolina – US
Official Selection for Screening – Brooklyn Film Festival – New York – US
Official Selection for Screening – The Berlin Short Film Festival – Germany
Official Selection for Screening at Panorama – The Melbourne International Animation Festival – Australia
Official Selection for Screening – Athens Animfest – Athens – Greece
Official Selection for Screening – Soho International Film Festival New York – US