Kinder Surprise a work of art?
Remember those Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs that come with a build-it-yourself toy hidden inside? If you thought these toys could never be considered works of art in their own right, think again!
In his 2005 documentary, Pascal Goblot explores the fascinating world of Kinder Surprise collectors. All over Europe, there are people who will stalk flea markets and yard sales in order to find a rare figurine that is missing in their collections. The French director’s reflection goes beyond this simple premise; as he talks to art historians and other specialists, asking: can they be considered art? He entertainingly shows many of those toys in relation to a classical painting, drawing numerous laughs from the crowd. The images of all those hundreds of them are bound to give you the desire to get one on your way home.
Il était une fois… Walt Disney
Detractors of Walt Disney, who believe his films do not have any artistic value, beware! A documentary, directed by the French Samuel Doux, aims to show that European art had a strong influence on the animator’s work.
The riveting documentary follows, movie by movie, how Disney’s love for the world of painting is expressed. It concentrates mostly on his feature animations, like Snow White, Dumbo and The Jungle Book, amongst others. We discover how Walt Disney travelled to Europe in order to get inspiration, and how he hired many animators in exile from their North European home countries, allowing them to bring their own influences to the final drawings, which helped create such memorable films.
More than just an artistic study of Disney, this film also presents the man behind the name, his own life experience, his failures and his successes, and how those events are present in his work.
Samuel Doux had the entire collaboration of the Disney company, and had access to archives that make his work more informative and complete. He directed this film in relation with the exhibit of the same name, which opened in Paris last September, and is now at the Montreal Fine Arts Museum until June.
