The Pearce Sisters is a 2007 short film created by Aardman Animations.

The Pearce Sisters
Directed byLuis Cook
Story byLuis Cook (adaptation)
Based onthe short story by Kirkham Jackson
Produced byJo Allen
Edited byDan Williamson
Production
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Release date
  • 11 June 2007 (2007-06-11) (Annecy Film Festival)
Running time
9 min 16 sec
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Production

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Plot

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Two strange and quirky sisters named Rose and Violet Pearce, who reside in a small seaside village, are at the center of the narrative. The sisters' peculiar conduct, especially their penchant for beards, disturbs the locals.

As the story progresses, the town's residents resolve to act independently, guided by the barber in the area. In an attempt to bring the sisters' beards back to normal, they set out to forcibly shave them off. The sisters, on the other hand, fight against this invasion since they are quite protective of their facial hair.

The movie addresses themes of conformity, societal expectations, and the effects of trying to conceal uniqueness, often taking strange and bizarre turns. The film's dark humor and poignant societal commentary are enhanced by its distinctive animation technique and unusual characters.

Ultimately, "The Pearce Sisters" is a visually arresting and provocative short film that tackles topics of cultural conformity and the difficulties experienced by those who dare to be different through dark comedy.

Cast

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  • Len Gray
  • Dan Williamson

Critical reception

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Sundance Film Festival review- Cook used computers and hand-drawn animation to tell a somber story in contrast to the cheerful, claymation style of animation that Aardman Animations is known for. He wanted very minimal music and no dialogue to complement the story's austerity. Sound was added in advance of animation, serving as a foundation for the editing. The computer generated animated faces for expressionless characters. After then, the animation was printed out. Each frame's 2D features and emotions were manually sketched in a rough, scratchy way, scanned back into the computer, and then utilized as an overlay for the 3D animation. Generally, colors appeared to have been bleached by the sea.

IMDb review- "Nasty....just nasty...and not in a good way" 5/10 stars

IMDb review- "Grotesque and macabre but somewhat endearing" 8/10 stars

Awards and nominations

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This is a list of awards and nominations of The Pearce Sisters.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2007 Luis Cook (Tied with Juan Pablo Zaramella for Lapsus) ANIMA - Córdoba International Animation Festival Best Animation award for Animated Stories Won
2007 Luis Cook Annecy International Animated Film Festival Special Jury Award for Short Films Won
2007 Luis Cook Annecy International Animated Film Festival The Annecy Cristal award Nominated
2007 Luis Cook Europe Cartoon Forum Cartoon d'Or Won
2007 Luis Cook Cinanima Grand Prize Won
2007 Luis Cook Krok International Animated Films Festival Grand Prix Won
2007 Luis Cook Sitges - Catalan International Film Festival award for Best Animated Short Film Won
2007 Luis Cook Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival Animated Dreams Special Mention Won
2008 Jo Allen and Luis Cook BAFTA Film Award for Best Short Animation Won
2008 Luis Cook Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival award for Best Animation Won
2008 Luis Cook (Prix UIP Tampere) European Film Awards Best Short Film Award Nominated
2008 Luis Cook Tampere International Short Film Festival Prix UIP Tampere (European Short Film) Won
2008 Luis Cook Grand Prix at World Festival of Animated Film Animafest Zagreb Won

References

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  • The Pearce Sisters at IMDb
  • Cook, Luis, The Pearce Sisters (Animation, Short, Horror), Len Gray, Dan Williamson, Aardman Animations, retrieved 15 November 2023
  • "The Pearce Sisters". europeanfilmawards.eu. Retrieved 2023-11-15
  • "The Pearce Sisters by Luis Cook | Short Film". www.filmsshort.com. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
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  1. ^ Cook, Luis, The Pearce Sisters (Animation, Short, Horror), Len Gray, Dan Williamson, Aardman Animations, retrieved 15 November 2023
  2. ^ "The Pearce Sisters". europeanfilmawards.eu. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  3. ^ "The Pearce Sisters by Luis Cook | Short Film". www.filmsshort.com. Retrieved 11 December 2023.