Kazakh animation studio Tasqyn Studio claimed the title of Best Short Film at the Animated Expressions Expo in Courseulles-sur-Mer, France. The studio’s short film Seriktes [Kazakh for partner] follows a story of two detectives navigating the outskirts of a hostile old town in their pursuit of necklace thieves, QazMonitor reports.
Directed by Daniyar Akezhan, Seriktes marks the studio's debut on the festival scene. This film is grounded in Daniyar's inspiration from short works at festivals, which in the past ignited his journey into the realm of fantasy.
“Seriktes draws inspiration not only from noir detective stories but also from old Disney full-length cartoons. I strived to blend diverse styles and concepts in order to create a unique look,” said Daniyar.
The project’s aesthetics have an unmistakable echo of a tried and true noir, but it also manages to pull off influences from a variety of unexpected sources.
Aiman Alikyzy, the project's production designer, made a significant contribution to the film's ultimate appearance. Her inspiration drew from both SpongeBob and anime from the 2000s, adding an extra layer of intriguing visual solutions to the work.
The Tasqyn Studio team intends to showcase their creation at various festivals and subsequently release it on their official YouTube channel.