A day at the beach takes a gruesome turn when triplets Lily, Milly and Billy attempt a prank on their grumpy ol' dad.
Released online following 50+ international festival screenings including:
BFI London Film Festival, UK // Encounters, UK // London Short Film Festival, UK // London International Animation Festival, UK // Just For Laughs, Canada // Anima Brussels, Belgium // Melbourne International Animation Festival, Australia // Sydney Film Festival, Australia // Australian International Animation Festival, Australia // Anifilm, Czech Republic
Director Statement: Presented as a stumbled-upon VHS find, "Sunscapades" is an unashamed love letter to both my current passion for indie animated shorts and the original roots of my enthusiasm for animation - loud, obnoxious and oversaturated Saturday morning cartoons that weren't afraid to take a turn for the macabre.
Software: Toon Boom, Photoshop, After Effects
Director: Ben Mitchell
Cast: Laura-Beth Cowley, Fiona Vianni-Pericchi, Ben Mitchell
Backgrounds: Hannah Stevens, Carwyn David
Music: Ben Mitchell, Phil Brookes
Awards:
Best Animation (Fylde Filme Festival) | Special Jury Mention (Fano International Film Festival)
Harmful Mind Productions/MFSA/Weird Eye Collective
FULL SCREENING LIST
•Festival BaideFest Roses - Catalonia, Spain (11/2020)
•Maniatic - Valencia, Spain (10/2020)
•Anima Brussels Animation Film Festival - Brussels, Belgium (02/2020)
•Magma: Mostra di Cinema Breve - Acireale, Italy (11/2019)
•Norfolk Film Festival - Norfolk, UK (11/2019)
•Newcastle International Animation Festival - Newcastle NSW, Australia (11/2019)
•AntiMOVIE - Montreal QC, Canada (10/2019)
•Shorts In Focus - Bath, UK (10/2019)
•Shock Reel Cinema Film Festival - Orlando FL, USA (10/2019)
•Animacine - Pernambuco, Brazil (10/2019)
•Lund International Fantasy Film Festival - Lund, Sweden (09/2019)
•Mostra Múmia - Florianopolis, Brazil (08/2019)
•Accra Animation Film Festival - Accra, Ghana (07/2019)
•Melbourne International Animation Festival – Melbourne VIC, Australia (07/2019)
•Sydney Film Festival – Sydney NSW, Australia (06/2019)
•ISFF Detmold – Detmold, Germany (05/2019)
•Australian International Animation Festival – Wagga Wagga NSW, Australia (05/2019)
•Anifilm – Třeboň, Czech Republic (05/2019)
•Calgary Underground Film Festival – Calgary AB, Canada (04/2019)
•Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival – Brussels, Belgium (04/2019)
•Courts d'un Soir - Montreal QC, Canada (04/2019)
•Athens Animfest – Athens, Greece (03/2019)
•Just For Laughs Film Festival – Vancouver, Canada (02/2019)
•TAAFI – Toronto, Canada (02/2019)
•Courts Mais Trash – Brussels, Belgium (01/2019)
•British Shorts – Berlin, Germany (01/2019)
•London Short Film Festival – London, UK (01/2019)
•Ploiesti International Film Festival – Ploiesti, Romania (12/2018)
•CRASH International Fantastic Film Festival – Goiânia, Brazil (12/2018)
•London International Animation Festival - London, UK (12/2018)
•MUMIA Underground World Animation Festival – Belo Horizonte, Brazil (12/2018)
•Tbilisi International Film Festival – Tbilisi, Georgia (12/2018)
•Animation Marathon – Athens, Greece (11/2018)
•Rome Independent Film Festival – Rome, Italy (11/2018)
•Abertoir Festival – Aberystwyth, UK (11/2018)
•Cardiff Animation Nights – Cardiff, UK (10/2018)
•Film Front – Novi Sad, Serbia (10/2018)
•BFI London Film Festival – London, UK (10/2018)
•SoDak Motion Festival – Brookings SD, USA (10/2018)
•Fano International Film Festival – Fano, Italy (10/2018)
•Roselle Park Short Film Festival – Roselle Park NJ, USA (09/2018)
•Encounters Short Film & Animation Festival - Bristol, UK (09/2018)
•Bristol Independent Film Festival - Bristol, UK (09/2018)
•BUT Film Festival - Breda, Netherlands (08/2018)
•Lost Episode Fest - Toronto, Canada (08/2018)
•Festival de Cine Fenacir - Río Verde, Mexico (07/2018)
•Free Range Film Festival - Wrenshall MN, USA (06/2018)
•Maracay International Film & Video Festival – Maracay, Venezuela (06/2018)
•Porto 7 - International Short Film Festival - Porto, Portugal (06/2018)
•Caostica - Bilbao, Spain (06/2018)
•Fylde Film Festival – Blackpool, UK (06/2018)
ben-mitchell.co.uk
Oh boy! It’s been forever since we’ve been to the beach! I’m gonna make friends with a crustacean! I’m gonna catch some surf on a stingray! I’m gonna spook some sea urchins! Ocean! Ocean! Ocean! Hey pops. What’s up? You little brats ain’t going anywhere near that ocean. It’s too dangerous. But mom said… Your mother’s having one of her “meltdowns” and left me in charge. And I say none of you leave this beach. You’ll have plenty of fun in the sand. But we already have a sandpit at home What kind o
f a swizz is this, anyway? My word is final. Now put on your sunscreen… And then do me. Man, I wish daddy wasn’t such a big, stupid misery-grump! I sure would like to teach him a lesson… Wait a minute… I’ve got it! Hey dad, are you ready for your suntan lotion? (All-Purpose Cooking Oil) Mm. And be liberal with it. Hee-hee! No problem! Boy, it sure looks like a scorcher! (Later that afternoon) Hey daddy, we’ve been here six hours. I think it’s time to go home Frankly I’m appalled at all three of
you. We’re sorry, hot doctor You realize that if the paramedics hadn’t acted so quickly your daddy could’ve died? We know, hot doctor Why would you even do something so cruel when all your daddy wanted was to keep you safe? We’re bad people, hot doctor Yes. You’re just awful Fortunately, your… Is one of you a ghost? We’re triplets! We absorbed him in the womb! Fortunately your dad’s fit and he’s ready to go home. Although he’s declined the option for further surgery What’s that mean? Hello kids…
I want you to know I’m not mad. You were just acting out because I was too hard on you From now on, I swear I’ll be a kinder, more attentive presence in your lives Bring it in, kids! Goodnight, Billy Kids, I’ve been so happy getting to know you all better and spend more time with you How is he still alive? I can’t sleep knowing it’s in the house… And we have to stick together, especially since mom left us, for reasons unknown Unknown? So today I have a special surprise for you. Everyone in the
car! Here we are, kids! Anyone for a swim? Really? Woah! You’re the best, pops! It’s moments like this that make it all worthwhile Hello So: Jellyfish burn, tuna-net-entanglement and baby shark attack Now do you believe the beach is dangerous, kids? Yes, hot doctor Hey, where’s dad?
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