The Moon

(Der Mond)

GDR, 1975, 6 min, color
No dialogue
Credits:
Director
Script
Dramaturg
Editor
Camera
Music (Score)
Production Company
Themes & Genres:

Synopsis

The moon watches as strange animals dance in its light and swirls in an attempt to join in the festivities. Suddenly, the moon falls from the sky, and a greedy dragon drags it to his cave to hoard its light while he feasts. As the nights stay dark, the animals come up with a plan to return the moon to the sky. This modern fable bewitches with its strange and alluring imagery and imaginative personification of the night sky’s main luminary.

 

Otto Sacher, East Germany’s legendary animation director and co-founder of the DEFA Studio for Animation Film, was the artistic advisor for this first animation film that Dammbeck created.

 

This short film is available for streaming as part of the collection Against the Mainstream: Lutz Dammbeck's Animated Works. 

Commentary

The Moon was Lutz Dammbeck’s first animation, and he created it under the mentorship of legendary East German animation director and DEFA Studio for Animation Film co-founder Otto Sacher. In The Moon we see an early example of Dammbeck’s long and prodigious career as a painter, media artist, filmmaker and animator.

Awards

1977 Award for Best Debut Film, Annecy International Animation Film Festival, France

Press comments

“… inspired by Tomi Ungerer and, I guess unconsciously at the time, also a candid homage to Hans Fischerkoesen.”   —Lutz Dammbeck, Besessen von Pop

“…playfully relishing the moons ‘case’ from imprisonment to its release.”   —Fred Gehler, Filme und Mediencollagen 1975-1986

Availability

Shibboleth login