Harpya

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Harpya
Directed by Raoul Servais
Written by Raoul Servais
Starring Will Spoor
Fran Waller Zeper
Sjoert Schwibethus
Music by Lucien Goethals
Cinematography Raoul Servais (animation)
Walter Smets
Release date(s) May 1979
Running time 9 min
Country Belgium
Language None
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Harpya is a 1979 short Belgian animated film written and directed by Raoul Servais. It stars Will Spoor, Fran Waller Zeper and Sjoert Schwibethus. The film won the Palme d'Or for Best Short Film at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival.

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[edit] Production

Servais uniquely animates his film using 35mm color front-projection of his characters onto a multiplane filmed, black velvet background.

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

A moustached Belle Époque-styled man (Spoor) is walking down a dark street, when he hears the cries of a woman (Waller Zeper) as she is being strangled in a fountain. The man knocks out her assailant (Schwibethus), only to discover she is in fact a winged Harpy. Befriending her, the man houses and feeds the Harpy. The mythological creature's appetite is insatiable, and when the man attempts escape, the Harpy eats his legs. Once the Harpy is asleep, the man crawls out of his house, joyfully finding candy floss to eat. The Harpy soon discovers him and, upon eating his food, the enraged man begins to strangle her. Upon hearing her cries, a police officer saves the Harpy by knocking the man to the ground; the Harpy looking up at the officer in glee.

[edit] Awards

[edit] External links