On Its Trail

Coming from Supinfocom Valenciennes, On Its Trail is a short film by Axel de Lafforest deals with elements outside of urban life: footprints and tracks. It places an emphasis on the depiction of open spaces with a stylized, painterly aesthetic. Staged in a coastal area during low tide, the short makes frequent use of off-screen elements and presents one main character with an internal conflict.

Special care has been dedicated to the design and expressive capabilities of the character, as well as to its animation. The camera alternates between omniscient POVs (wide shots, some overhead) and semi-subjective ones (following the dog and keeping its approximate height). The natural landscape and its subtle animation, the thin layer of water, sniffing of the dog, use of sound, etc., provide many great sensory images, which help bring the animation alive.

Creativity, humor, an emphasis on aesthetics and the effectiveness in communicating emotion through a minimalist story make On Its Trail an enjoyable short.