In Half

“This is the purest example of why animation is not made solely for children, as it allows filmmakers like Valle and co to explore their wildest imaginations…”

Through a child's imagination it tells the journey of a man who after falling prey to his fears, he must cross a strange world, a universe full of magic, where he will be confronted with his own fears and conflicts from the past and where he must find solutions for the future to discover his self-identity.

We’ve seen a lot of animated films here at APEX, and we thought we had seen it all when it comes to what can be imagined through the art of animation. However, writer/director Jorge Morais Valle short film In Half is something we’ve never seen before.

In Half is a stunningly poetic film with immense depth whilst at the same time unexpectedly tragic, not something you often see from animated shorts. Valle is joined by writers Silvia Pazos and Cuco Fernández and tackles this challenging story with great results. Demonstrates their talent as filmmakers and how to pack in such an emotive story in a relatively short run time compared to features which struggle to do the same. We can’t help but notice a parallel to 1998s What Dreams May Come which has a similar concept and approach to trauma.

Jake Walters as Vivencio made some solid choices and delivered a powerful performance to keep up with the fast paced story, showcasing a range of emotions. The film called for an experienced actor as at times it was essentially a one man show due to the characters isolation and inner journey.

The animation style is very unique and innovative, giving it a totally original look that will impress viewers. The colour palette is distinctly unsettling to create a sense of danger and and drama, suiting the story perfectly. The vast scale of locations, characters, elements and more if truly impressive and we’re unsure how it was achieved with such a modest budget. This would have been a challenge for other animation houses to produce for ten times what it cost Valle and co. It’s worth noting that Valle took on the animation himself which is nothing short of incredible.

The sound design really stood out as it was crucial to get right due to the intricacies of the animation. The attention to detail and overall mix was solid and matched the quality standard of the animation. The same can be said of the brilliant score from Juan Manuel Cameán which had a high bench mark due to the scale of the story and keeping up with the emotional rollercoaster.

We couldn’t recommend this film enough, not just as an animation but as a drama. This is the purest example of why animation is not made solely for children, as it allows filmmakers like Valle and co to explore their wildest imaginations…

— APEX Film Awards