FANTASIA FEST 2022: ‘My Grandfather’s Demons’ Is a Dazzling Display of Artistry

After competing in Annecy, Portugal’s first ever stop motion feature film My Grandfather’s Demons, directed by Nuno Beato and produced by Sardinha em Lata, makes its way to Quebec’s Fantasia Fest to enchant through its breathtaking artistry and delightful story about connection and regret.

Young Rosa (voiced by Victoria Guerra) lives in a big city and works in a high-stress office job where she’s the #1 employee. One day, she receives the news that her beloved grandfather Marcelino, the man who raised her, has died. Filled with regret and guilt for ignoring Marcelino after leaving him behind to pursue a “normal” life in the city, Rosa has a big breakdown at work. Soon after, she decides to travel back to her hometown in the countryside, where her grandfather’s house awaits as well as a resentful town and the opportunity to mend old wounds. 

It turns out that Marcelino was an irascible man hated by the entire town, particularly by his former best friend and baker Antonio. Rosa starts to investigate the reason behind this deep hatred and gradually finds the answers through letters and nightmares where Marcelino’s clay demons rise to life. However, fixing things isn’t easy for Rosa, who has inherited the foul mood of her grandfather and struggles to connect with everyone around her, even with her neighbor Chico, a kind and lively kid who, along with his mother, slowly helps her understand the importance of community.

The first 14 minutes use 2D animation but exactly when Rosa steps foot on the dirt of Sarranco Valley, the CG world turns into stop motion. This transformation is a representation of the core of My Grandfather’s Demons. Although aesthetically impressive, the 2D animation of the first act is flat and a little too perfect; it doesn’t have the level of detail that the stop motion world has. When we step into Rosa’s hometown, there’s an enhanced realism and everything comes to life in an organic way. The models are not perfect but you can sense the life in them. 

Of course, the contrast between animated atmospheres is no mistake. My Grandfather’s Demos is a tale of community. Rosa is exhausted by the urban way of life and even though she feels discomfort at first (nightmarish demons don’t help her cause), she learns to reconnect with herself and others while in this rural town. She finds peace and starts noticing and enjoying little things that the frantic city life might not allow her to. This is why the stop motion worlds feel so real while the 2D one is a bit lifeless.  

Possidónio Cachapa and Cristina Pinheiro wrote the script before the pandemic but it’s clear that its themes grew stronger and more relevant during production, which started in 2020. The huge amount of technology around us and the enormity of an urban lifestyle can make you lose meaningful touch with others. It can be isolating. This happens to Rosa who can’t find time to respond to Marcelino’s letters and it’s until his death that she realizes how empty her style of living made her feel. When she creates bridges and becomes part of a true community, Rosa fills that void. In many ways, My Grandfather’s Demons is a call to create or rekindle meaningful connections. 

The film also touches on the importance of learning from the errors of our past and exorcizing our generational demons. Marcelino was never able to heal the emotional wounds created by his father so he made a mess out of his life; Rosa realizes she could be going down the same path and decides to stop the cycle. It isn’t easy —literal demons are haunting her dreams— but she gets a push of kindness from Chico and his mother. 

The script does have a few flaws. A story of bitterness relating to Rosa’s feelings towards her mother’s abandonment is quite poor, the hyper-urban character of Johnny (Rosa’s best friend) is a little too on the nose, and the film’s resolution is overly convenient; the third act could’ve been polished.

The animation and art direction are gorgeous. Inspired by the work of Portuguese artist Rosa Ramalho, the clay demons are dazzling works of art whose aesthetic can be used to both enchant and creep the viewer. Despite the simplicity of their design, the human and cat characters are full of life; the level of detail of these puppets and their animation is awe-inspiring. Furthermore, some backgrounds look like paintings and,, specifically, water animation is breathtaking.

It’s always exciting to see animation blossom beyond the usual countries (US, Japan, France…) and My Grandfather’s Demons is another step in the right direction for Portuguese animation, Nuno Beato, and Sardinha em Lata. The level of talent and passion is palpable in this beautiful feature that delights the eye and touches the heart. 

My Grandfather’s Demons had its North American premiere at Fantasia Fest 2022.