“Three Sisters” brings new acclaim
Konstantin Bronzit may be one of Russia’s most acclaimed animators, but award season still makes him nervous. The 60-year-old writer-director is nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film this year with his 15-minute work “Three Sisters”, competing against productions from the United States, Canada, Ireland and France. Winners will be announced on March 15.
Bronzit has previously earned Oscar nominations for films released in 2007 and 2015, yet recognition from the Academy remains just as exciting. Speaking in St. Petersburg, where he works at one of Russia’s largest animation studios, he said: “Each time, the chances of reaching Olympus are basically zero, and each time it feels like a miracle.”
His new film follows three sisters living in harmony on an isolated island until the arrival of a sailor disrupts their peaceful routine. Bronzit estimates that the production took five to six years and that the characters occupied his thoughts even on weekends and holidays. “There is this endless internal work going on. Nothing comes together quickly or easily,” he said.
Working in animation since the 1990s, Bronzit says he remains surprised at how many young artists still choose what he calls a “time-consuming, difficult profession.”
