“Lisa Limone and Maroc Orange: A Rapid Love Story,” A Unique Estonian Feature

Estonians have a rich history of animated filmmaking, but they haven’t produced too many feature-length projects. When they do though, you can be assured that it won’t look or feel like anything else out there.

Lisa Limone and Maroc Orange: A Rapid Love Story is a 72-minute stop motion opera directed by Mait Laas. The film’s expressive visual style fuses animated fantasy and gritty realistic detail in unconventional fashion. It’s a children’s film that addresses some very adult themes about refugees, immigration, and social order:

Main hero is a singing boat refugee—orange boy Maroc. He dreams about freedom. Lemon girl Lisa collects singing seashells and dreams about love. Lisa’s father is a businessman, owner of a ketchup factory and tomato plantation. He loves money.

Poor Maroc escapes from his homeland and defying stormy waters take a boat across the sea to the “promised land.” Upon arrival he is forced being a slave worker in a tomato plantation instead of freedom, democracy, wealth and parties he had hoped for. Despite an initial let down, our orange boy is destined to gain happiness—selfish Lisa falls in love with him and sets him free. We see orange revolution—houses are blown up and tomatoes are made from ketchup, all in the name of democracy!

Lisa Limone and Maroc Orange is one of eleven features in competition at the upcoming Holland Animation Film Festival. A two-and-a-half-minute trailer is below. You can also view an extended trailer with English subtitles HERE.