This week’s lineup for Reel 13 Shorts has fun with a showcase of different animation techniques.

Art Appreciation by Joseph Herman. After getting some inspiration from a book on still-life painting, Benny decides to liven up his walls with a new piece of artwork. However, things don’t go quite as expected, and the outcome leaves us pondering whether the end really does justify the means. A humorous and lighthearted 3D animated short, it reflects upon the meaning of art and ponders the old question of whether beauty truly lies in the eye of the beholder. Meet the delightful character of Benny as he sorts through this question.

Levitation directed by Adel Kerpely is a stop motion animation which uses oil painted on canvas. A tender tale of a captured bird who really wants to fly free. “Levitation” features a beautiful use of color and is supported by a well crafted soundtrack.

Belle directed by Mihir Desai features an old woman who tells her grandson a bedtime story about a witch. Is it a fairytale or a nightmare? A  mix of live action and animation, “Belle” is a trippy descent into the stuff that fables are made of.

–Duana C. Butler, Curator/Producer, Reel 13 Shorts