Lipsett Diaries
Encyclopedia
Lipsett Diaries is a 2010 short animated documentary
about the life and art of troubled experimental filmmaker Arthur Lipsett
, animated and directed by Theodore Ushev
and written by Chris Robinson
. The 14-minute film was produced by the National Film Board of Canada
in Montreal
, where Lipsett had worked from 1958 to 1972, before committing suicide in 1986. The film is narrated by Xavier Dolan
.
, who showed him a locker where belongings from former tenants were stored. There, Ushev discovered a small blue notebook with "Lipsett" written on it, containing notes by the late filmmaker.
, Robinson was himself diagnosed with a mild form of the condition.
at the 31st Genie Awards
. In June 2011, it received three three awards at the 2011 Golden Sheaf Awards: for Animation, the Founder’s Award, and Best of Festival.
Lipsett Diaries also received a Special Jury Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, a Special International Jury Prize at the Hiroshima International Animation Festival
, an audience award at the Melbourne International Animation Festival
, Best Canadian Film at the Ottawa International Animation Festival
, special mentions at the Bravo!FACT Awards and Worldwide Short Film Festival in Toronto, Best Animated Film at Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival, and the grand prize at the Rencontres internationales du cinéma d'animation in Wissembourg
.
At the end of 2010, the film was included in the Toronto International Film Festival
's Top 10 Canadian films of the year.
Animated documentary
The animated documentary is a genre of film which combines the genres of animation and documentary. This genre should not be confused with documentaries about movie and TV animation history that feature excerpts.- History :...
about the life and art of troubled experimental filmmaker Arthur Lipsett
Arthur Lipsett
Arthur Lipsett was a Canadian avant-garde director of short experimental films.In the 1960s he was employed as an animator by the National Film Board of Canada . Lipsett's particular passion was sound. He collected pieces of sound from a variety of sources and fit them together to create an...
, animated and directed by Theodore Ushev
Theodore Ushev
Theodore Ushev is an animator, graphic designer, illustrator and multimedia artist, from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.He was born in Bulgaria and graduated stage decoration, animation, and make-up at Plovdiv's School of Scenic Arts.He obtained a Master degree in Graphic Design from the National Academy...
and written by Chris Robinson
Chris Robinson (animation scholar)
Chris Robinson is an Ottawa-based animation, film, literature and sports writer, and artistic director of the Ottawa International Animation Festival...
. The 14-minute film was produced by the National Film Board of Canada
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, where Lipsett had worked from 1958 to 1972, before committing suicide in 1986. The film is narrated by Xavier Dolan
Xavier Dolan
Xavier Dolan , sometimes credited as Xavier Dolan-Tadros, is a Québécois actor and filmmaker, the son of Geneviève Dolan, a teacher, and Manuel Tadros, a Quebecois actor and singer of Egyptian descent...
.
Inspiration
Ushev was inspired to make a film about Lipsett, after Robinson had forwarded him an email where the late filmmaker was discussed. Until that point, Ushev had never heard of Lipsett. He began to do some research and was surprised to learn that Lipsett had lived on the same street as him in Montreal. Ushev went to the building where Lipsett once lived and met with the conciergeConcierge
A concierge is an employee who either works in shifts within, or lives on the premises of an apartment building or a hotel and serves guests with duties similar to those of a butler. The position can also be maintained by a security officer over the 'graveyard' shift. A similar position, known as...
, who showed him a locker where belongings from former tenants were stored. There, Ushev discovered a small blue notebook with "Lipsett" written on it, containing notes by the late filmmaker.
Production
The film was animated by hand-painting the frames, using computer editing to link the images. Ushev estimated that 40 frames were painted per day during production. Lipsett Diaries was Robinson's first attempt at screenwriting. A year after completing his script detailing Lipsett's troubled life, including his battle with bipolar disorderBipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
, Robinson was himself diagnosed with a mild form of the condition.
Reception
Lipsett Diaries received the Genie Award for Best Animated ShortGenie Award for Best Animated Short
The Genie Award for Best Animated Short is awarded by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to the best Canadian animated short film.-7th Genie Awards:* Michael Scott, Richard Condie, The Big Snit* Ishu Patel, Paradise/Paradis...
at the 31st Genie Awards
31st Genie Awards
The 31st Genie Awards ceremony was held on March 10, 2011 to honour films released in 2010. Nominations were announced on February 2, 2011.William Shatner was announced as the ceremony's host on February 16.-Motion Picture:*Incendies*10½...
. In June 2011, it received three three awards at the 2011 Golden Sheaf Awards: for Animation, the Founder’s Award, and Best of Festival.
Lipsett Diaries also received a Special Jury Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, a Special International Jury Prize at the Hiroshima International Animation Festival
Hiroshima International Animation Festival
The International Animation Festival Hiroshima is a biannual animation festival hosted in Hiroshima, Japan.The festival was found in 1985 by Association International du Film d'Animation or ASIFA as International Animation Festival for the World Peace...
, an audience award at the Melbourne International Animation Festival
Melbourne International Animation Festival
The Melbourne International Animation Festival or MIAF is an annual animation festival held in Melbourne. Supported by the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, the Australian Film Commission and the Melbourne City Council, it is Australia's largest animation event. Over the course of the...
, Best Canadian Film at the Ottawa International Animation Festival
Ottawa International Animation Festival
-History:In 1976, the Canadian Film Institute founded the biennial Ottawa International Animation Festival . First held August 10 to 15, 1976, the OIAF created a gathering place for North American animation professionals and enthusiasts to ponder the craft and business of animation...
, special mentions at the Bravo!FACT Awards and Worldwide Short Film Festival in Toronto, Best Animated Film at Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival, and the grand prize at the Rencontres internationales du cinéma d'animation in Wissembourg
Wissembourg
Wissembourg is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in northeastern France.It is situated on the little River Lauter close to the border between France and Germany approximately north of Strasbourg and west of Karlsruhe. Wissembourg is a sub-prefecture of the department...
.
At the end of 2010, the film was included in the Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
's Top 10 Canadian films of the year.