»Rasps and Bars« – An animated short film

Synopsis

The protagonist of »Rasps and Bars« is Peter, a German war prisoner, who gets deported to the Russian working camp »Vorkuta«. Peter writes letters home to his family, mainly to his child son. Due to censorship and also for his son he invents a fairy tale world, that resembles the circumstances he is living in, but in a light and adventurous way. Meanwhile the letters give Peter a reason to survive the hell of everyday life in the camp, as they are the connection to his family and his life back home.

Juri is a prison official and member of the NKWD, the former Russian secret service. During the war his family was killed in a German attack and since that time he is full of hatred for the Germans while he drowns his pain in alcohol to find peace in oblivion. As he reads Peters letters he is affected by the love and kindness that they show but at the same time the memories of his own family come back to him. He is caught between his upcoming emotions on the one hand, and his hatred for Peter as a German on the other. In the consequence he keeps the letters for himself and prevents them from being sent.

As Peter gets stuck with his story Juri takes on an active role and provides him literally with a key so that he can continue the tale. From that moment on the borders between reality and fiction blur more and more. As Juri confronts Peter with his unsent letters the whole human tragedy and absurdity of the situation peaks in a final showdown between the two protagonists. It leaves the audience with the question: Who is responsible?

Concept Art

All drawings by Dobromir Dimitrov 2008, with support of Martin Wallner.