Crossover

Coming from Germany, Crossover is a short film by Fabian Grodde that deals with religion and identity. The artist produced it as his thesis film at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.

Crossover is a crowd-based short, featuring just a few recognizable characters. Ascension, ritual and “enlightment” are described with corresponding camera and sound work, presenting building rhythm and momentum.

Moving cameras, visual rhythm, increasing editing speed and faster-paced sound help build the climax. Staged in a natural environment, which was carefully created through the use of miniatures, the short uses well integrated 3D animation for the characters.

Religion and conversion will always be sensitive topics in human history, and the author has approached them explicitly, from a critical point of view, using also a good dose of humor. In his own words, Crossover poses questions about “religion and identity”, “missionary work and the conversion of foreign cultures” belonging to indigenous populations.