BFK | 10.12.2025 | Blood Tea and Red String (2006) - NY DATO

INFO:

Screening format:  DCP
Director:  Christiane Cegavske
Screenwriter:  Christiane Cegavske
Country of production:  USA
Language:  English
Subtitles:  English
Length:  1 hour & 11 minutes

ENG:

Blood Tea and Red String is one of those rare things: a stop-motion animated film free of dialogue, rooted in the world of fairy tales, made for adults, which director Christiane Cegavske spent 13 years making by hand. The plot takes place in a world that seems to be conjured up by dreams and the subconscious, and opens up countless associations. We meet some aristocratic mice who hire the so-called Oak Dwellers – or oak dwellers – to make a doll for them. These oak dwellers are captivated by their own creation and want to keep the doll for themselves, but the upper-class mice decide to steal it. This inflames tensions between the two flocks, and we witness a battle ruled by creative power, desire, love and more.  

Cegavskes 13-år lange prosjekt er først og fremst kjent for sin unike visuelle stil. Alt er håndlaget, ned til hver minste detalj. De små dyrene kommer til livet i form av filtstoff, og hver eneste skapning føles møysommelig og omstendelig satt sammen. Det er som om dyrene vokser ut av den verden Cegavske har skapt på egenhånd i sitt hjem, og at de gjennom tidens løp har tatt form og pustet liv i hverandre. Fortellingen utspiller seg i et langsomt tempo, til tross for filmens korte spilletid, som i tråd med fraværet av tradisjonell dialog knytter filmen tett til mørke fabler. Cegavskes film er åpenbart inspirert av gotiske stiler og drømmeaktige perspektiver, og har blant annet blitt sammenlignet med «David Lynch feberdrømmer i Beatrix Potter sitt terreng», men den er også helt egenartet. Selv om den har fått kultstatus blant animasjonsentusiaster og festivalpublikum, har den ikke fått spesielt stor oppmerksomhet utenfor disse miljøene, men det vil ikke være overraskende om den en dag står som et referansepunkt for all stop-motion-animasjon. 

ENG:

Blood Tea and Red String is a rarity: a stop-motion animated film without dialogue, rooted in the world of fairy tales. Director Christiane Cegavske spent 13 years working on it by hand. The story unfolds in a world that seems conjured from dreams and the subconscious, opening up countless associations. We meet a group of aristocratic mice who hire the so-called Oak Dwellers to create a doll for them. The Oak Dwellers become enamored with their own creation and wish to keep the doll for themselves, but the upper-class mice decide to steal it. This ignites tensions between the two groups, and we witness a struggle driven by a desire for creation, love, and more.

Cegavske’s 13-year-long project is primarily known for its unique visual style. Everything is handmade, down to the smallest detail. The little animals come to life in felt, and each creature feels meticulously and painstakingly assembled. It is as if the animals grow out of the world Cegavske has crafted alone in her home, taking shape and breathing life into one another over time. The story unfolds at a slow pace, and with the absence of traditional dialogue, the film is closely aligned with dark fables. Cegavske’s style is clearly inspired by Gothic aesthetics and dreamlike perspectives, and has been compared to “a David Lynch fever dream on Beatrix Potter terrain,” yet it remains entirely singular. Although it has achieved cult status among animation enthusiasts and festival audiences, it has not received widespread attention outside these circles—but it would not be surprising if it someday stands a reference point for all stop-motion animation.