David Lobser’s “Elephant Girl”

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While Saturday morning cartoons hold a special place in nearly every youngster’s heart, most of-agers know that Adult Swim is where all the real fun lies. In 2007, Portland, Oregon, played host to the first ever Platform International Animation Festival. With its wide array of animated feature films, installations, and exhibits, the fest became the first major animation event to hit the U.S., in turn creating a launching pad for plenty of up-and-coming creative minds. For one night only, the Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum will offer up a free night of festival highlights as part of its monthly Forum Lounge series. The melee of back-to-back animated shorts starts this Thursday, May 1, at 7 p.m. Visit sbcaf.org for details. And for a short list of highlights about this special night of well, highlights, we encourage you to read on …

1] David Lobser’s Elephant Girl: Described by its director as a “four-and-a-half-minute film about ‘sisters’ who enjoy more than just sisterhood,” David Lobser’s Elephant Girl offers up a decidedly twisted look at what can happen when you mess around with your siblings. Visually, the short looks like a mix between a highly-stylized Tim Burton flick and the Nickelodeon hit Aaahh!!! Real Monsters. And with a delightfully eerie soundtrack courtesy of Jamie Haggerty, this is one stunning look at some screwed-up subject matter.

2] Josh Raskin’s I Met the Walrus: This Oscar-nominated animation is nothing short of an exercise in genius. The film is based on an interview between a 14-year-old Jerry Levitan and John Lennon. Fluid pen drawings seamlessly morph from one illustration to another, following Lennon’s words with pictorials of peace signs, war tanks, falling bombs and fellow bandmates. It’s a look into the late, great Beatle’s mind unlike any other, and a true artistic triumph, from start to finish.

3] Claude Chabot’s Apnée: Clocking in at just under four minutes, Chabot’s grizzly look at a photographer’s life behind the lens takes daring turns with its freeze frame shots and twisting camera angles. The story focuses on a nameless photographer working to capture the affair of a well-known star. Unbeknownst to him, his efforts lead to far more than a scandalous story. It’s paparazzi propaganda made to feel like animation noir — creepy, startling, and oh so topical.

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