Wildebeest (2018)

Directed by: Nicolas Keppens, Matthias Phlips | 19 minutes | animation, short film | Original voice cast: Chris Boni, Sam Louwyck

When Linda and Troyer go on safari, something terrible happens. They are left behind by the jeep and have to survive in the wilderness. Still, Linda has one more important goal in mind, which is to spot her beloved elephants.

‘Wildebeest’ consists of real filmed images, in which the 2D animated characters are glued in, as it were. Troyer is a wiry man with a thick mustache and a black mat and Linda a stocky, pale woman with an obsession with elephants. Together with three other typical tourists – think red-burnt faces and white shirts with print – they are in a jeep that races across the savannah. In addition to the wild animals, the iPad with elephant pictures and the cleavage of a fellow passenger are especially interesting. When the group of tourists gets out and the jeep then leaves without Troyer and Linda, the adventure begins.

‘Wildebeest’ is a comical short animation in which the typical Western tourist is ridiculed. The two main characters are well thought out and have both recognizable and absurd features. The interaction between the married couple creates silly dialogues and fine fragments of intimacy and the live-action images are used in a subtle way. ‘Wildebeest’ is worth a look. The fact that a lot of time and concentration went into the making of the film is evident. Anyone who likes dry, silly humor will certainly enjoy this animation.