SMILE by Yuval Markovich and Noam Abta
SMILE is an impressive 2005 student film by Yuval Markovich and Noam Abta produced at Bezalel Academy of Arts & Design in Jerusalem. Horror films are all too rare in animation, and this short does a solid job of buiding the tension and creating a mood of paranoia and uncertainty. Technically, it looks like the film was shot in live-action, with oversized CG heads placed on the live bodies. It’s a surprisingly effective technique that adds to the film’s uneasy mood. Watch a Windows Media Player version of the film HERE and find out more about the filmmakers at their personal website LionInZion.com