The man who planted trees
Miguel | MySpace Video
The man who planted trees
French writer Jean Giono was an environmentalist who was ahead of his time. He drew on his own experience and the history of his native region to write The Man Who Planted Trees in 1953. Animator Frédéric Back came across Giono’s story in the magazine Le sauvage in 1974.
“In reading this story for the first time, I was very moved by the character’s generosity and his utter indifference to any kind of reward. It is the very essence of happiness because the reward is in the act itself and in the vision of its beneficial consequences,” says Frédéric Back.
The film gained many awards including Grand Prize (shared) at the International Animation Film Festival, Annecy, France 1987.
Production year: 1987
Running time: 30 minutes
Production time: 5 years
Number of drawings: 20,000
Assistant: Lina Gagnon (3,000 in-betweens)
Technique: Prismacolor® coloured pencils on frosted cels, with pastel backgrounds and fixative.
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