The Outlander

With her documentary animation film The Outlander, Ani Antonova tells the tale of the long and arduous journey undertaken by Süleyman, Vienna´s first elephant. It was in the 16th century that the animal initially voyaged from Ceylon to Lisbon, before being sent on a month-long journey as a living royal gift to Vienna under Maximilian II.

Over 5,000 individually drawn images render the animal in relentless motion, sketching the strenuous path taken across the Alps by the adolescent Suleiman – named after the Osman Sultan and arch enemy of the Habsburg monarchy – in the company of its courtly retinue. Ani Antonova interweaves historical sources into her film, including images from the time of this extraordinary procession. The voice-over explains, "Wherever they arrived, people were excited to see them." It is accompanied by delicately precise tracings of portraits, frescoes and animated coin motifs that dissolve into one another and underline the widespread euphoria caused by the exotic creature whose taming was intended to represent the monarchy´s power. The Outlander is the sad migration story of a thick-skinned immigrant passed on from one ruling dynasty to another, as he involuntarily treks across Europe. With this 5-minute pencil drawn animation film Ani Antonova sensitively translates an excerpt of Europe´s past into a thoughtful reflection upon our contemporary world. (Jana Koch)

Translation: Eve Heller



In 16th Century the elephant Süleyman makes a long journey from Ceylon to Portugal, then walks the whole way from Lisbon to Vienna trough the Alps for five months. To be a living royal gift is not an easy job, where even death is not a peaceful end. (production note)

Orig. Title
The Outlander
Year
2018
Countries
Austria, Bulgaria, Portugal
Duration
5 min 16 sec
Director
Ani Antonova
Category
Animation, Documentary
Orig. Language
English
Subtitles
German, french, spanish, portugues
Downloads
The Outlander (Image)
The Outlander (Image)
Credits
Director
Ani Antonova
Script
Ani Antonova
Sound Design
Valeria Popova
Animation
Dimiter Ovtcharov, Ani Antonova
Animation Supervisor
Pedro Serrazina
Research
Dr. Annemarie Jordan Gschwend
Compositing
Dimiter Ovtcharov
Production
Omega Films, St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias (PT)
Available Formats
Digital File (prores, h264) (Distribution Copy)
Aspect Ratio
1:1,85
Sound Format
stereo
Frame Rate
25 fps
Color Format
b/w
DCP 2K flat (Distribution Copy)
Aspect Ratio
1:1,85
Sound Format
stereo
Frame Rate
25 fps
Color Format
b/w
Festivals (Selection)
2018
Wien - Two Days Animation Festival (Best Narrative Animation / Audience Award)
2019
Bergen - ReAnima - International Animation Festival
Yerevan – ReAnimania IAFFY
Varna - IN THE PALACE International Short Film Festival
Ljubiljana Animateka - Int. Animation Film Festival
Palm Springs Intl. Animation Festival & Expo
Porto - Post Porto Doc
Palm Springs Intl. Animation Festival & Expo
Kitzbühel Filmfestival
Klosterneuburg - Shortynale
Sao Paulo / Rio de Janeiro - Anima Mundi Animation Film Festival
Athen - AnimFest
Wien - Tricky Women / Animationsfilmfestival (Audience Award of the Austrian Panorama)
Tallahassee - Florida Animation Festival (Frame by Frame // Student Frame by Frame: Honorable Mention)
Wien - VIS Vienna Shorts
Wien - Under The Radar - Festival and Conference on Animated Film (Audience Award)
2020
Novi Sad - Shortz Festival
Wien - Ethnocineca Documentary Film Festival (Honorable Mention)
Dresden - Filmfest
New Jersey - Black Maria Festival (Jury´s Citation Award)
Buenos Aires - OURFEST Festival Int de Cine d'Animación