From Matt Damon stuck on Mars to Sandra Bullock floating through space alone, the isolating effects of space travel have been imagined many times in fiction filmmaking. Adding a new, and slightly horny perspective, to that of the lonely intergalactic traveller, Bruno Tondeur's animated adventure Deep Space follows its hero on a mission to an alien planet as he's instructed to discover an intelligent new species.

As our protagonist Brandon sets off on his quest, leaving his partner and young child behind, we witness this hopeful explorer looking happy and determined, smiling as he locates the perfect soundtrack to his travels on his spacecraft's radio. However, as his explorations of this strange new land reveal to him a menagerie of creatures only intent on satisfying their most animalistic of instincts he starts to wonder if he'll ever complete his mission and return to the loving embrace of his family. He also starts to miss his partner in a much more physical way...provoking some unsettling fantasies and a disturbing relationship with one of the planet's lifeforms.

[caption id="attachment_33764" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Deep Space Bruno Tondeur Short Film

Tondeur set out to create a sci-fi film featuring planets and sex

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Inspired by Barbarella and French comic-anthology Métal Hurlant (later published in the US as the more recognisable Heavy Metal) Deep Space blends science-fiction and sex in a most unusual way. If you're hoping for scantily-clad Jane Fonda types, prepare to be disappointed. Although there is quite an unexpected (for Brandon and for us) felatio scene in Tondeur's film, scenarios never feel employed for pure arousal. In fact, after this specific scene, you might even start to feel a little more sympathetic towards our struggling explorer.

Visually, there's a certain naivety to the aesthetic of Deep Space, but that description certainly shouldn't reflect poorly on Tondeur's short, as it's by no means a criticism. There's a youthful energy to his film that feels perfectly captured in its sketch-like appearance, yet it's also incredibly detailed. From the intricate details on the spacecraft's control panels to the textured foreign landscapes Brandon traverses, you can tell a lot of time and care has gone into the style. It's also hard not to love the character design here - from the strange alien creatures to the increasing wildness of its hero's hair (always contained within his helmet), it all just adds to the spirit of the short.

Not old enough to be considered a classic yet, Deep Space was created in 2014 and won awards at Anima and Clermont-Ferrand on its tour of the festival circuit back in 2015. Having been sitting in my Watch Later list on Vimeo for a few years, though we're a little late in covering it, Tonduer's film certainly hasn't aged badly, with its style and story both standing the test of time. Since releasing Deep Space, the filmmaker has released his latest film Sous le cartilage des côtes (Under the Rib Cage) and it's easy to see how his progression in this latest short - which we'll hopefully bring you in the not-too-distant future.