Cartoon directed by Igor Voloshin, based on the story by Anton Chekhov, is included in the competition at Animaze festival in Montreal
05.09.2023
The short animated film «Sleepy» by Russian director Igor Voloshin, created by the Parovoz studio, based on the same-name story by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, is included in the competition program of «Animaze», which is a major International Animation Festival in Canada. The premiere of the cartoon is scheduled on September 18, 2023 at the main festival site.
An impressive cast is involved in the animated film, cartoon characters are voiced by such famous Russian actors as Anna Mikhalkova, Fyodor Bondarchuk, Maxim Sukhanov, Olga Simonova, Mikhail Evlanov and Olga Lapshina.
The cartoon shows the life story of thirteen-year-old Varka, who lives in a shoemaker’s house, where she works as a nurse and does household duties. Slave labor and lack of sleep exhaust the girl. Sleep becomes her only wish. But Varka is not allowed to sleep. Baby crying is her major nightmare, and one day she finds a solution.
The terrible choice that the little heroine makes plunges the viewer into the awful reality of a child traumatized by the cruel adult world, explaining the consequences of heartlessness and inhumanity.
Igor Voloshin, director of the film «Sleepy»: «No one has the right to enslave „another“, especially a child. Physical and mental abuse of a child is a crime. Unfortunately, it is timeless and it is still going. So, we have to talk about it, even cry out. The film is a scream».
Director Igor Voloshin, who also voices one of the cartoon’s characters, was born and brought up in Sevastopol. He is a theater and film actor, director, screenwriter, producer, cameraman and artist, author of independent cinema. In 1998 he graduated from the Yaroslavl Theater Institute. In 2000 he graduated from VGIK. The debut documentary «Bitch» was awarded the Best Debut Award at IDFA, the world’s premier documentary film festival in Amsterdam. Then he made feature films, including «I», «Bedouin», «Basement», «Medea», etc. Igor Voloshin is a participant and winner of international film festivals of category «A»: Berlinale, Busan, AFI (USA). He is the author of Russian iconic television series «Olga», «Fizruk» and others. Besides, Igor Voloshin is a laureate of Kinotavr, APKiT and TEFI awards.
The film producer, general director of the Parovoz studio Anton Smetankin: «Moving of Parovoz beyond animation for kids, in which we have been continuously engaged for 9 years, has become an indicator of the organic growth of our experts’ creative competence. By opening a new field of auteur animated films in the studio, we give our artists the opportunity to speak out on sensitive topics which excite them without limiting the audience and its age. The studio will actively develop and support the new direction, attracting the most talented directors and authors.»
CREATIVE TEAM
Director, screenwriter: Igor Voloshin
Animatic by Andrey Ushakov
Producers: Anton Smetankin, Evgeny Golovin, Marianna
Galstukhova-Smetankina
Production Designer: Ivan Niken
Costume designer: Uliana Polyanskaya
Music by Vladimir Volkov
CAST
Olga Simonova — Varka
Anna Mikhalkova — Mother Pelageya
Olga Lapshina — Mistress
Fedor Bondarchuk — Doctor
Maxim Sukhanov — Master
Mikhail Evlanov — Father Yefim
Igor Voloshin — Investigator
Duration: 13 min. 40 sec.
Age: 18+
Produced by the Parovoz Animation Studio
Country: Russia
Year: 2023
The Parovoz Studio is one of the largest Russian producers of animated films. The portfolio of the studio includes feature-length animated films «The Everlasting Story», «Lost Miracle» and such well-known children’s animated series as «Be-be-bears», «Fantasy Patrol», «Champies», «Leo and Tig», «PUPPIES AND KITTENS», «Heroes of Envell» and many other cartoons that are broadcast in more than 100 countries around the world. The rights to show the animated series produced by the studio were purchased by such major streaming services as Netflix and HBO max. Parovoz projects won many awards and nominations at Russian and international festivals: Xiamen International Animation Festival, Annecy International Animated Film Festival, TEFI-KIDS, Ikar, Suzdalfest, Prix Jeunesse International, etc. The studio content is presented at key global media markets including Mipcom, MipJunior, TIFF, C21 London, Kidscreen, MIP Cancun and MIFA.
