Horst in Translation ([email protected]) "Rusalka" or "The Mermaid" is a 1997 10-minute short film, so this one will have its 20th anniversary next year. It was the second Oscar nomination for Russian writer and director Aleksandr Petrov and he lost to Pixar back then. The Academy obviously rewarded Petrov's style here mostly, an animation technique which is the exact opposite of effortless and it takes years for him to make a new film, even if it is just a short one as always with Petrov. I myself enjoyed the watch here for the most part. I have not liked all of Petrov's works, as they sometimes are a bit in danger of becoming style over substance, but this one here has a good story, no lengths and also some nice emotions. I believe, if you plan on getting into Petrov's work, then this could be a good start as it is certainly among those films he made that are easier to find access to and appreciate. I think now that you read my review until the very end that you should check it out and give "Rusalka" a watch. I would not say that it's a great watch, but you probably will not regret it.

punishmentpark Stunningly beautiful. This animation seems to be made of a large series of paintings, and in each painting there are some animated details. Story-wise, I could only make out that the old man had an affair before he got married long ago, and the woman of that affair comes back (as a mermaid) to haunt his son in the present day. It turns out that the young man is not his son, but an apprentice - the old man is a monk. I don't understand how he would have been married in that case, but I must have missed some details there.Despite the fact that this an impeccable piece of animation, somehow not all of it worked for me. Maybe the subject matter stayed too much on the safe side of a fairly simple cautious tale, or even a fairytale, but I've very much enjoyed it nonetheless.A big 8 out of 10 feels like the minimum rating I must give this.

Armand a perfect film. seems be a too large definition but it has all pieces for be more than wonderful animation, pure Aleksandr Petrov high work but a magnificent story who remember the Russian mythology, the air of Orthodox Church,who presents , in wise manner, the temptation and the love in its so different nuances as not exactly as show but as touching source of love sense. it has the gift to impress in a profound manner. to give a form of beauty who could be not just aesthetic but perfect lesson about important things. it seems be enough - it is one of Aleksander Petrov short animation. but, like each of his films, it is not only animation. maybe a testimony about force and delicacy, about heart and fascination of existence. presented after a work who could be , for many from us, unrealistic, a sacrifice itself.

Nyssa K A wonderful fantastic animation movie! I read some reviews here that describe Aleksandr Petrov's films as great on the eyes, but lacking good plot and being hard to follow. I have to disagree with this assessment! It's just that Aleksandr Petrov is Russian and in his animations there are allusions, characters, and motifs that are rooted in Russian culture and are much more familiar to a Russian person than a foreigner watching the cartoon. Non-Russians just may need a little outside help to understand the plot (just like people often read a libretto before watching an opera to make sure they understand the action happening on on stage).!!!A warning that spoilers do follow from this point on!!! (Do not read beyond this point, if you do not want to read spoilers!) In this story there are two monks who live by the river. The old monk had sinned in his youth: he had romance with a young girl, had sex with her, but then married another woman thereby "dishonoring" the girl who loved him and trusted him. (We learn this from the flashbacks that the old monk has and how now he is praying to God and begging him for forgiveness of his old sins.) The dishonored girl committed suicide by drowning. The young girl's restless spirit had turned into a mermaid - an evil spirit who is out to take revenge on the injustice that was done to her in her life. She takes this revenge by seducing young men with her charms, and then leading them into the depth of the water and drowning them. (This kind of wandering evil-spirit of a girl who's life ended before her time due to cruelty of men is a common character in Russian folklore. She may appear innocent and charming, but that is just a ploy to trick the young man into following her.) Naturally, the evil-spirit mermaid goes after the young monk, who is the apprentice of the old monk (and is probably like a son to him). Once the old monk realizes what's going on, he knows that the young monk is about to lose his life to pay for his (the old monk's) sins. He knows he must protect the young monk. So he tries to do it through prayer and giving the young monk the cross. When that doesn't work (the young monk takes a boat out onto the water to join the mermaid there), the old monk throws himself into a battle with the mermaid and he dies in the process of that battle, but is able to save the life of the young monk thereby.So, as you can probably see, the story and plot of the animation are quite meaningful, substantial, and even powerful. You just need to be able to understand it to appreciate it and understand Petrov's work fully.