Planet Z

Synopsis

Water: energy, life, miracle.
Species: plants and mushrooms, turf war, survivorship.
Mould: pollution, destruction, consequence.

Somewhere in the Universe, the PLANET Z. A miracle happens. A water jet springs up and gives birth to a new life: plants. A desert planet became a green planet… Different species cohabit: liquid and sticky mushrooms. But little by little, they invade the green land, and destroy the idyllic life. The toxic spores kill the plants, and transform the planet to a mouldy land… But after destroying all the vegetation, the future of the mould seems to be fearsome. A species cannot live without other ones…

Statement

The film « Planet Z » shows natural phenomena – and not subjects – to tell a story about a living, evolving and dying planet. This project seeks to create a unique space and time dimension by focusing on the aesthetics of things, which are rather strange and repugnant.

I tried to create a gigantic world from the tiny elements, and a rapidly changing world from the slow and imperceptible to the naked eye phenomena. The chosen « actors » are small sprouting radishes, slime moulds (tiny mobile mushrooms which live everywhere), or fruit and vegetable moulds; that is to say the actors are common natural elements that exist around us, but we do not necessarily pay attention.

Pictures from the shooting

Click here

Technical sheet

  • Duration: 09’30 »
  • Year: 2011
  • Writter and directed by: Momoko Seto
  • Shooting Format: Photos series
  • Projection Format: 35mm, DCP
  • Sound Format: Dolby SR
  • No dialogues.
  • Production: Sacrebleu Productions, Autre Chose
  • Sponsors: Centre Images, Région Centre, Canal+, CNC (Contributions financières / Aides aux Nouvelles Technologies), Procirep, l’Angoa / Agicoa, Le Fresnoy, Studio National
  • Director of Photography: Boubkar Benzabat
  • Compositing/2D lead animator: Julio León
  • 2D animator/Compositing : Mathieu Brisebras, Andrey Zhidkov
  • Compositing trainee: Florent Grattery
  • 3D animator: Paul Alexandre
  • Set designer: Nathalie Rousseau
  • Mecanics and programming: Guillaume Ségur
  • Assistant trainee: Aude Coulaud, Lina Seddiki
  • Storyboarder: Nicolas Doray
  • Editor: Nicolas Sarkissian & Momoko Seto
  • Music: Yann Leguay
  • Sound Editor: Quentin Degy
  • Sound effects: Gregory Vincent
  • Sound engineer for recording: Vincent Mauduit
  • Sound mixing: Yannick Delmaire
  • Producers: Ron Dyens & Aurélia Prévieu
  • Line producer / Directrice de production : Guilaine Bergeret

Studio Autre Chose 

  • Producer / Directeur de production : Matthias Weber
  • Superviseur Effets Visuels : Stéphane Bidault

Scientific advisor / Conseillers scientifiques :

  • Annie Kohn
  • Marianne Meyer
  • Karlheinz Baumann

Technical advisor / Consultants techniques :

  • Pascal Martin
  • Simon Kalinsky (Olympus)
  • Pierre Houssin
  • Pascal Hersen

Screenings & Festivals

  • Berlinale International Film Festival, official selection in Short film Competition, Berlin [De], feb 14-19th 2011
  • Tampere Film Festival [Fi], march 10-13th 2011
  • Future Film Festival, Bologna [It], april 20-23th 2011
  • Zurich, private gala organized by WWF [Ch], april 29th 2011
  • International Short Film Festival of Santiago de Compostela [Es], may 6-15th 2011
  • Athens Video Art Festival [Ge], may 20-22th 2011
  • Ficma – Barcelona International Environmental Film Festival [Es], june 1-8th 2011
  • Hamburg International KurzFilm Festival [De], june 7-13th 2011
  • Festival côté court Pantin [Fr], june 10-21st 2011
  • FICA, the International Festival of Environmental Film and Video, Goià [Br], june 14-19th 2011
  • Arcipelago Festival Internazionale di Cortometraggi e Nuove Immagini [it], june 17-23th 2011
  • FEST – International Film Festival, Esphino [Pt], june 26th – july 3rd 2011
  • Festival International du Film Merveilleux, Paris [Fr], june 30th-july 2nd 2011
  • Paris Cinéma, Paris [Fr], july 2-13th 2011
  • Festival du court métrage en plein air de Grenoble [Fr], july 5-9th 2011
  • CinemadaMare – International Itinerant Film Festival [it], july 5th – aug 16th 2011
  • Femina – Festival Internacional de Cinema Feminino, Rio [Br], july 11-17th 2011
  • International Short Film Competition FIB Cortos, Madrid [Es], july 14-17th 2011
  • Anima Mundi, Rio + Sao Paulo [Br], july 15-31st 2011
  • Cool connections, special Berlinale program, Moscow [Ru] aug 9th 2011
  • Open Air Filmfest Weiterstadt [De], aug 11-15th 2011
  • Short Shorts Film Festival México [me], sept 1-9th 2011
  • 12th Circuito Off Venice International Short Film Festival [it], sept 2-5th 2011
  • ANIMANIMA, cacak [se], sept 7-10th 2011
  • Milano Film Festival, Milano [it], sept 10-19th 2011
  • 25 FPS – Intl Experimental Film And Video Festival, Zagreb [co], sept 20-25th 2011
  • Man International Film Festival, St Petersburg [ru], sept 23-30th 2011
  • ELLES TOURNENT, festival de films de femmes de Bruxelles [Be], sept 29 – oct 2 2011
  • shnit international shortfilmfestival, Bern [ch], oct 5-9th 2011
  • OK. Video FLESH, Jakarta [in], oct 6-17th 2011
  • Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, Montréal [ca], oct 8-19th 2011
  • Women Make Waves Film Festival, Taipei [taiwan], oct 14-23th 2011
  • 3D Wire, Segovia [es], oct 14-16th 2011
  • Imagine Science Film, NYC [usa], oct 16-25th 2011
  • un festival c’est trop court, Nice [fr], oct 18-23th 2011
  • Tehran short film festival, Tehran [ir], oct 21-26th 2011
  • Sardinian Sustainability Film Festival [it], oct 21-30th 2011
  • Roshd International film festival, Tehran [ir], oct 31st – nov 6th 2011
  • TOFUZI, international festival of animated film, Batumi [ge], nov 2-5th 2011
  • Rio de Janeiro International Short Film Festival – Curta Cinema [br], oct 27th – nov 6th 2011
  • Bibliothèque de la Part-Dieu, Lyon [fr], nov 8th 2011
  • Bolzano ShortFilmFestival, Bolzano [it], nov 9-12th 2011
  • Kassel Documentary Film & Video Festival [de], nov 8-13th 2011
  • 15th Anniversary Edition of the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival [Ca], November 8-13 (Toronto) and November 18-19 (Richmond Hill) 2011
  • Stockholm International Film Festival [sw], nov 9-20th 2011
  • Festival Européen du film court de Brest [fr], nov 10-18th 2011
  • Festival Du Cinema Europeen En Essonne [fr], nov 15-27th 2011
  • Animated Dreams, Tallinn [es], nov 16-20th 2011
  • Festival À NOUS DE VOIR – Science et Cinéma, oullins [fr], nov 17-27th 2011
  • IFF ETIUDA&ANIMA, Krakow [po], nov 18-24th 2011
  • L’Aquila Film festival [it], nov 23-26th 2011
  • Tutti nello stesso piatto Festival Internazionale di Cinema Cibo & VideoDiversità, Trento [it], nov 25th 2011
  • Festival tous courts d’Aix, Aix en Provence [fr], nov 28 – dec 2nd 2011
  • Expotoons International Animation Festival, Buenos Aires [ar], nov 30 – dec 2nd 2011
  • Festival de Vendôme [fr], dec 2-9th 2011
  • Festival national du film d’animation, Bruz [fr], dec 7-13th 2011
  • Magma – mostra di cinema breve, Acireale [it], dec 8-10th 2011
  • Festival Premiers Plans, Angers [fr], jan 16-25th 2012
  • Exhibition in Recife Antigo [br], feb 6-27th 2012
  • CON-CAN film festival, Machida [jp], feb 11-12th 2012
  • Festival International du film d’environnement, Paris [fr], feb 14-17th 2012
  • Screening at « Ballet botanique. Autour du cinéma de Jean Comandon » BnF, Paris [fr], feb 16th 2012
  • Animac – Mostra Internacional de Cinema d’Animació de Catalunya [es], march 1-4th 2012
  • Frauen Film Tagem, Wien [au], march 1-8th 2012
  • Vidéoformes, Clermont Ferrand [fr], march 14-17th 2012
  • Go Short, Nijmegen [nl], march 14-18th 2012
  • Tricky Women Festival, Wien [au], march 14-18th 2012
  • Cape Winelands Film Festival, Cape Town & Stellenbosch [za], march 14-24th 2012
  • Festival international du film d’Aubagne [fr], march 19-24th 2012
  • Oslo Screen Film Festival, Oslo [no], march 2012
  • Festival International de Films de Femmes de Créteil [fr], march 30th – april 12th 2012
  • Trois jours trop courts (Castres) [fr], april 5-7th 2012
  • KKO festival Altkirch, Alsace [fr], april 11-15th 2012
  • Mecal, International Short Film Festival of Barcelona [es], april 12-29th 2012
  • Mediawave, Kazinczy [hu], april 26-30th 2012
  • Animasivo, Mexico [me], may 14-20th 2012
  • Soirée Bref, MK2 Quai de Seine, Paris [fr], may 15th 2012
  • Instants Vidéo Numériques et poétiques, La Friche Belle de Mai, Marseille [fr], may 18-20th 2012
  • EcoCup film festival, Moscow [ru], may 18-20th 2012
  • Espace Les 26 couleurs, Saint-Fargeau-Ponthierry [fr], may 31st 2012
  • CinemAmbiente Environmental Film Festival, Turin [it], may 31st – june 5th 2012
  • Green Nation Fest, program Anima Mundi, Rio de Janeiro [br], may 31st – june 8th 2012
  • VIS Vienna Independent Shorts, Vienna [au], june 6-10th 2012
  • Short film night organised by the Association Taluah, cinéma du Val d’Yerres (l’Essonne) [fr], june 8th 2012
  • Open Eyes Filmfestival, Marburg [de], july 12-15th 2012
  • Bánkitó Festival – Bánk [hu], july 21st 2012
  • Festival Kinookus Film Festival, Ston [croatia], sept 5-6th 2012
  • Croq’Anime, Paris [fr], sept 7-9 2012
  • Cinéma l’Omnia de Rouen [fr], sept 27th 2012
  • Festival International du Film d’Animation Animatou, Genève [ch], oct 6-14 2012
  • Festival International du Film Ecologique de Bourges [fr], oct 11-14 2012
  • festival Fesancor de Santiago du Chili, [cl] oct 20th-30th 2012
  • Timelapse Showfest, Pozuelo de Alarcón [es], oct 28th 2012
  • 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival [USA], nov 8th-18th 2012
  • Mindpirates, Experimental Animation Night, Berlin [de], oct 10h 2012
  • 2nd Hanoi International Film Festival [vn], 25-29th nov 2012
  • Festival de film d’animation de Bruz, secret de fabrication, [fr], dec 15th 2012
  • Festival Ciné Junior, Val-de-Marne [fr], feb 13-26th 2013
  • Crossing Europe Film Festival, Linz [au], april 23-28th 2013
  • International Short Film Festival, Oberhausen [de], may 2-5th 2013
  • 2nd Ecofalante Environmental Film Festival / Mostra Ecofalante de Cinema Ambiental, São Paulo, [br], May/June 2013
  • 2nd edition of Pelicam International Environmental Film Festival, Tulcea [ro],june 14-16th 2013
  • Rencontres Internationales Sciences et Cinémas, Marseille [fr], oct 10th-19th 2013
  • Cinemathèque Française de Paris [fr], oct 20th 2013
  • Espace Beuajon, Paris [fr], may 22nd 2014
  • « Les mondes animé », Rennes [fr], march 6th 2016
  • Mori Art Museum, exhibition « The Universe and Art » Tokyo [jp], july 30th 2016 – jan 9th 2017
  • Exhibition Universe and Art » at ArtScience Museum, Singapore, April 1st – July 31th 2017
  • Screening at Eac Les Roches for the exhibition Charlotte Charbonnel, Chambon-sur-Lignon [Fr], aug 8th 2017
  • ‘Otsukimi’ screening at Dallas Contemporary [USA], oct 3rd 2017
  • Serie Mania Lille [Fr], April 27th – May 5th 2018
  • Collective exhibition for « Paysage-Fiction » at Tétris for « un Été au Havre » [Fr], June 23 – setp 3 2018
  • Galerie DA-END [Fr], sept 13 – oct 10th 2018
  • Journées du patrimoine à Nice au Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art contemporain de Nice [Fr], sept 15th 2018
  • VIBRANT MATTER at Kino Arsenal, Berlin [De], oct 18th 2018
  • Collective exhibition for « Paysage-Fiction » at Bel Ordinaire, for the 18th edition of Festival accès)s(, Pau [Fr], oct 11th – dec 8th 2018
  • Festival Ciné Junior, Val de Marne [Fr], Feb 13-26th 2019
  • Ciné-concert dans le cadre du festival Ciné-Jeune de l’Aisne [Fr], March 26th – April 14th 2019
  • VIBRANT MATTER at Art Center Casa Encendida, Madrid [Es], Nov 5-8th 2019
  • Format Court, La Rochelle [Fr], Oct 8th 2019
  • Biennale NEMO, CENTQUATRE-PARIS [Fr], Oct 12th 2019 – Feb 9th 2020
  • Special screening at BnF, Paris [Fr], Nov 12th. 2019
  • Exhibition at LAM, Lille [Fr], Nov 16-17th 2019
  • Fête de l’animation – masterclass, Lille [FR], Nov 30th 2019
  • 2ANNAS Riga International Short Film Festival [Lv] – retrospective, Feb 10th – 16th 2020
  • « Dark Ecology » at Leiden Shorts [Nl], September 11th 2020
  • Festival de l’histoire de l’Art à Fontainebleau [Fr], June 6th 2021
  • « Cinema and Ecological Reason » on the Culturgest website [Pt], June 14th-21st 2021
  • Masterclass at Anifilm, International Festival of Animated Films, Liberec [CZ], June 26th 2021
  • Exposition « Le Voyageur, l’Obstacle, la Grâce » au centre d’art contemporain de Briançon [Fr], July 1st 2021 – Oct 17th 2021
  • Centre d’Art La Graineterie Houilles [Fr], July 10th 2021
  • Festival Alimenterre, Bruxelle [BE], Oct 9-16th 2021
  • Program “The Patterned Screen” at M+ Museum in Hong Kong [HK], Jan-March 2023
  • Exhibition at LAM, Lille [Fr], for the 40 years of the Museum « Matières vivantes et instabilités créatrices », Feb-July 2023
  • Exhibition at musée du Louvre-Lens [Fr], for the exhibition « Paysage », March-July 2023
  • Fête de court-métrage, Salle Niemeyer, organized by ACID, Paris [Fr], March 22nd 2024

Awards

  • BEST FILM at Festival de Film Merveilleux, Paris France, 2011
  • BEST SOUND DESIGN at Animanima, International Animation Festival, Cacak Serbia, 2011
  • SPECIAL MENTION at Milano Film Festival, Italy, 2011
  • BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM at Tehran Short Film Festival, Iran 2011
  • BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM at Tofuzi International Animated Film In Batumi, Georgia 2011
  • SPECIAL MENTION at Sardinian Sustainability Film Festival In Sardinia, Italy 2011
  • SPECIAL MENTION at Vidéoformes – professional jury award, Clermont-Ferrand, France 2012
  • STUDENT JURY AWARD (Université Blaise Pascal) at Vidéoformes, France 2012
  • AUDIENCE AWARD, Festival film de femme de Créteil, France 2012

Nominations

  • Pré-selection Meilleurs Césars d’animation 2011, France
  • Les Lutins de court-métrage, animation 2011, France

TV diffusion

  • Canal+ (co-financer), Mesomadaire, April 11th 2011 at 23:37
  • Canal+ Format court, sept 2012
  • Canal+ Décalé, nov 26th 2012

Distribution

  • Sacrebleu Productions, Paris [Fr]

Workshops

Workshop at Centre Pompidou, for Green Attitude, at studio 13-16, Paris [fr], nov 5, 6, 9th 2012. Link