Rob Munday

Described as a ‘free interpretation’ of Franz Kafka’s Before the Law parable, Alessandro Novelli’s The Guardian is a dark and mysterious animated short that’s bound to bewilder as many as it will beguile. Screened at Annecy in early 2015, this compelling short takes this thought-provoking, simple story from the book The Trial and transforms it into a stark and compelling film that maintains the contemplative ambiguity of the original narrative.

Translating the words of Franz Kafka to screen is never going to be an easy job, but Novelli does a wonderful job of matching the writer’s elegant, refined prose with an equally striking aesthetic. Told through distinct black and white animation that effortlessly transitions from scene-to-scene, The Guardian doesn’t seem too concerned with solving the riddle of this much-debated tale, but instead seems intent on bringing it to a new audience in an easily absorbable format.

One of the things I always liked about Kafka’s writing was the different interpretations readers would take from his stories, depending on their own experiences and it’s encouraging to see this open-nature carried over into this screen translation of one of his most famous narratives. Although The Guardian’s interpretation is never going to get as much consideration as the original story, it’s refreshing to know such a classic tale will be reaching an audience that might not have experienced it if it wasn’t for Novelli’s film.

Director Novelli created The Guardian’s with his studio N9VE – a production house focused on animation, illustration, 3D and design. If you’re interesting in seeing more from the team, be sure to check out their Vimeo page for more of their design/animation work.