Hungary 1981 | Dir. Marcell Jankovics | With György Cserhalmi, Vera Pap, Gyula Szabó | 86 mins | Hungarian with English subtitles | 12

Born from a horse, Treeshaker is a young hero with godlike strength who embarks on an epic journey into the Underworld. Along the way, he encounters a colourful cast of eccentric characters who help him on his quest to restore balance to the natural world.

Drawing on Hungarian folklore and the connection between nomadic communities and their environment, the film explores humanity’s relationship with nature, as well as themes of community, integrity and belonging. At times cerebral and at others wonderfully funny, it asks what we can learn from the natural world – and what we stand to lose if we fail to protect it.

Directed by legendary animator Marcell Jankovics, Son of the White Mare is a vivid, experimental and hallucinatory experience, filled with bold colour, hypnotic movement and surreal imagery. Originally released in 1981, it has become a cult classic of animation and is a film that really needs to be experienced on the big screen.

The screening will be introduced by global animation expert and friend of Fresh Perspectives, Michael Leader.

Presented for CINECITY by Fresh Perspectives, Fabrica’s Young Programmers group.