Barber Westchester is an independent feature film by Jonni Phillips, and the first project we’ve finished under Herbert Sorbet’s watchful eyeballs. More info here
“Animation Obsessive” interview about the project
The movie features original score + songs by Dylan Kanner (you can buy his soundtrack here),
Guest animation/art: Emily Martinez (Planet video) Victoria Vincent (Lucky and Dorbee TV show) Benni Quintero (Beast beyond the dome) Ian Worthington (Mr. Whale TV show) Chris Kim (Silver’s advice) Yasmeen Abedifard (Bene’s advice) Mel Murakawa-White (Gerard’s advice) Frankie Tamaru (Margaret’s advice) Kelly Ficarra (Prof Lemmings’ song) Tyrell Solomon (Church paintings) Zaria Bohanon (Crowd character designs during the projection room scene) Additional character animation by Maddie Brewer, Sidney Gale, Franky Wish and Benni Quintero
Barber Westchester screened at Ottawa International Animation Festival, Mammoth Lakes Film Festival, Animation Block Party, TAAFI, Fantastic Fest, and won "Special Jury Award" at New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival:
"This movie fully embodies the meaning, power and possibilities of the technique of animation. All the visuals are carefully calculated, and if you underestimate them, it delivers a strong punch. Its unique style was derived to strike the times more strongly, and its drawn lines are cute, but are actually frighteningly delicate. With tricky motions, the viewer is skillfully entwined with the story. When the 90 minutes had passed (that is, at the end of the film), I shuddered at the matching of theme and method. We felt resolution and conviction for being an animation. When something precious inside of you wavers, the world is too flimsy to support you. Where is the measure between the uncertainty of the visible and the certainty of the invisible? It is an out-of-the-ordinary film that captures the mood of this era, which is sharpened by the earnest desire to find answers, while at the same time combining the ingenuity to entertain and the pursuit of originality. The most important discovery of the decade. The work questions the essence of animation films in that it encourages lively discussion around the world. I felt that the essence of the animation film festival was being brought to question at the same time."
-Ayumu Watanabe