We welcome Academy Award nominated director Erick Oh (on the week of the 93rd Academy Awards!) to talk about his short animated film Opera and how it sits at the intersection of film and fine art. Also the state of the animation industry, Asian / AAPI representation, and what it's really like to have a wholly independent film suddenly recognized on a global scale.

Opera

Written and directed by award-winning filmmaker and former Pixar animator Erick Oh, ‘OPERA’ is an animation project that can be defined as a contemporary animated edition of the Renaissance fresco mural paintings. Driven by the spirits of Bosch, Michelangelo, Botticelli and more, Erick portrays, in his own signature whimsical and surreal way, the human society and history, filled with beauty and absurdity. Viewers will experience the range in-depth emotions through this epic reflection of human life: it is hopeful, comical, thoughtful, yet scary and sad. This piece is not only a living piece of art, it is an invitation to question the mechanisms of our society and human behavior. The universality of its message will inspire new perspectives on humanity and break down conversations. The full cycle of ‘OPERA’ consists of Day and Night. Each section and individual character’s activities are intrinsically connected so the viewers can eventually enjoy the entire pyramid no matter which character they set their eyes on first.

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