The Animators Who've Spent 40 Years on a Single Film

In 1980, renowned Russian animators Yuri Norstein and Francheska Yarbusova began production on a beautiful stop-motion film called The Overcoat. After 40 years of work, the film remains unfinished, and The Overcoat has taken the record for longest animation production of all time.

[TheSilverKetchup]

I imagine a director's commentary of the film.

"Oh, yes this scene, only 30 seconds long. That's how I spent 1997."

[hamodyasgail]

"What are you writing?"
"I don't know, I haven't received it yet"

Absolutely brilliant-

[.Tapestry]

these two artists are walking that extremely fine line between genius and madness

[Seishae]

“Francheska is a mystery to me. The more I get to know her, the less I know.”

This might sound weird but I get the vibe from that quote that he really, really loves her. The way he wants to work without a script, the way he jokes about not knowing what a film is about until it’s done, I think nothing could ever appeal to him more than a person who he can never quite figure out.

[fioreanon]

the way they captured the pure bliss on the man's face as he tucks himself into his new overcoat...the gleam in his eyes, the blush in his cheeks, like a child waiting for Santa...it really brought tears to my eyes. And it makes knowing the end of the story even more painful. But that's art. And that's just beautiful. I wish they wouldn't suffer while making their movie but I can at least thank them for having done so, even if only through a comment they'll likely never see (and in my heart.)

[shochre]

In a way, they're not making The Overcoat, they're living it

[jon-umber]

Their animation style is simply spellbinding. Like nothing I've ever seen before. Breathtaking, boundary-pushing artwork. Sincerely hope there is eventually a release of The Overcoat, in some sort of fashion.

[kristinastipetic]

I remember back when I was super into Soviet animation ~15 years ago. After watching Skazka Skazok and Hedgehog in the Fog, I was so pumped to learn that Norstein and Yarbusova were adapting one of my favorite short stories, The Overcoat, into a feature-length film. "They've already been working on it for twenty years!" I thought. "Surely it will be ready soon!"
...
The next time I thought about it was when I saw the title of this video, and knew exactly which film it would be about.

[bozhanaslavkova]

Here, in Bulgaria, as we were in the Eastern block, every person over 35 remembers Hedgehog and the fog as it was shone as one of the greatest examples of russion genius recurringly on the national television . To this day from time to time it's shown on the program "Good night, kids" (:

[rgs]

I am so afraid Yuri will destroy the unfinished work before he dies. I'm not sure why that is my specific fear, but it is

[Cartoonizando]

This was such a fascinating story. My god, this feels like a legend, a myth. Truly inscredible.

[justas]

The quality of the animation is mildly terrifying. Especially after hearing all the suffering and struggle that went into it.

[Rorschach]

This almost moved me to tears. As an artist, the desire and will to pour yourself into your work really hit home. The never ending battle with perfection vs completion. To you, the work is never finished because there's always more you can do. Letting go is the hardest part.

[StubenhockerElite]

The man is absolutely 100% fulfilled by doing what he does and suffering every second of it. What a mad lad Yuri is.

[jskd]

Their animation is truly breathtaking in it's beauty, haunting dreaminess and meticulous obsession. Hopefully The Overcoat will get finished within their lifetime.

[saberserpent]

"The only things Yuri is afraid of, is the things that might really help him."

A lot of creative people are this way, and I've let myself succumb to this at certain points in my life.

Despair becomes a lifestyle.
Self-Sabotage is comfortable and familiar; success is strange and terrifying.

There's also an aspect of "control" at play. If I were to guess, I imagine Yuri believes that any outside help he accepts compromises the integrity of his work. The work that is really the only thing in his life he probably has ever had total control over.

[EvalonGames]

And I thought Thief and the Cobbler had a troubled production. Never heard of this film before or most of the topics you cover. That's the main reason I look forward to your videos!

[erniewelz]

The plight of an artist is so rarely understood by anyone other than themselves. Self sabotage and self criticism to overcome often keep many great pieces from ever coming to light. Others try to change and some offer anything to get these works of art done that completely obscures what the artist is really about. Edit: Also….Amazing video btw. This is the exact reason I’m subscribed to see this in-depth description of something I’ve never even heard of. Thank you

[unclvinny]

Norstein short films mentioned:
Heron and the Crane
Hedgehog in the Fog
Tale of Tales

Others
Hungarian: the Tragedy of Man, dir. Marcell Jankovics
English: The thief and the cobbler -- dir Richard Williams
The King and the Mockingbird - dir Paul Grimault
Hoffmaniada - dir. Stanislav Sokolov

(Let me know if I missed any! I want to see them all.)

[CollegeBallYouknow]

My literature class studied _The Overcoat_ back in my school days and finding out that there’s a unique animated film about it in the works makes me excited for something that probably won’t ever release.