“The Day I Killed My Best Friend” by Antonio J. Busto Algarin

Twenty-two-year-old Antonio J. Busto Algarin made The Day I Killed My Best Friend at Middlesex University in London:

Regla is a nine-year-old girl, whose only friend is imaginary. Regla hates bath time and always has to be ordered to do it. However, she usually gets rid of her bath water without her mother knowing. One day Regla and her indulgent imaginary friend are forced to confront the sudden arrival of her first menstruation and the problems that come with it.

The film displays the kind of youthful energy and playful experimentation with form and technique that sets student films apart from professional work. Even if all the pieces don’t quite fit together, Busto’s campy aesthetic is something fresh and different. Since making the film, he has launched an animation collective with other colleagues called Rabano. I look forward to see what he comes up with next.

CREDITS
Director: Antonio J. Busto
Script: Antonio J. Busto, Blanca Font
Concept Art Animation: Antonio J. Busto, Martin Martinez
Concept Art Live Action: Antonio J. Busto, Blanca Font
Music: Juan Manuel Busto
Animators: Antonio J. Busto, Martin Martinez
Cinematography: Blanca Font, Pablo Ortiz
Voice (Regla): Olive Hodgson
“Queen of the Night” (Mozart) performed by Beatriz Chinchilla