Directed by Heather D. Freeman [2011]
Not Rated; 18 min
Followed by Q & A with Director

Pennipotens (Capable of Flight) is an animated re-interpretation of the Flemish fairytale Black Caroline, White Caroline, first printed with illustrations by Edmund Dulac in 1916.

The original fairytale may be read here.

In the fairytale, a mother’s beautiful daughter is beloved by all, while her ugly daughter is shunned.  Heartbroken by the mistreatment of her ugly daughter, the mother decides to kill the beautiful daughter.  The ugly daughter loves her beautiful sister, and repeatedly foils her mother’s murderous attempts.  The imperiled daughter eventually escapes, and later the siblings are reunited and transformed.

The animation stresses the symbolism of the original fairytale. Influenced by Japanese shadow-puppets, the work uses digital cutout animation combined with hand drawn animation.

Pennipotens Production Blog: www.pennipotens.blogspot.com

Tonight’s screening is presented in partnership with The McColl Center for Visual Art.

• Best Animation at the 2011 Columbia Gorge International Film Festival (August 2011)
• Official Selection of the 2011 Atlanta Horror Film Festival (September 2011)
• Official Selection of the 2011 Atlanta Underground Film Festival (September 2011)
• Screened on KET, KET2 and KETKY as part of Reel Visions (September – October 2011)
• Gold Award for Experimental Animation at the Jamfest International Film Festival (October 2011)
• AIGO Award for Most Compelling Antagonist at the Jamfest International Film Festival (October 2011)
• Official Selection of the Offshoot Film Festival (October 2011)
• Official Selection of the 7th Annual River’s Edge International Film Festival (November 2011)

Heather Freeman received her undergraduate degree in Fine Arts and German Studies from Oberlin College in 1993.  In the Fall of 1998, she entered the MFA program at the Mason Gross School of the Arts of Rutgers University at New Brunswick, New Jersey concentrating in installation art.  While exploring the relationship between the history of science and metaphysics, Freeman’s medium of choice became single channel video and digital print.

After a brief flirtation with advertising, Freeman taught at Allegheny College and Youngstown State University.  She continued her research at the University of Kentucky as Assistant Professor of New Media in the College of Fine Arts.  In fall 2005 she became Assistant Professor in the Department of Art and Art History and the RCID PhD Program at Clemson University and spent a truly wonderful year with the Clemson Tigers.  In fall 2006 Freeman began her appointment as Assistant Professor of Electronic Media at the University of North Carolina – Charlotte in the Art Department.  Her work is regularly exhibited nationally and has appeared in international exhibitions in Canada, China, Cuba, Germany, Hungary, Sweden and Thailand.

More on Heather: www.epicant.com