Jansons, a passionate skier, found his inspiration in the energy of ski resorts, which he describes as “the perfect mise-en-scène for animation.” For him, the constant motion of skiers, dressed in bold, abstract costumes, mirrored the ritualistic dance of life. This visually arresting world serves as the amphitheatre for Freeride in C, where people of all backgrounds come together to share in the universal language of motion.
The film’s soundtrack is equally vital to its narrative. Featuring Terry Riley’s composition In C, performed by The Young Gods, Freeride in C is a seamless blend of image and sound. Jansons’ goal was to build the structure of the film by directly adopting the compositional method used in the music. “Repetition and looping,” Jansons explains, “are as organic to contemporary music as they are to animation. By aligning the loops in Riley’s score with the rhythmic repetitions in the animation, I wanted to create a singular audiovisual experience.”
This approach stems from Jansons’ broader theoretical study, Repetitions and Loops as a Form-Building Element in Author Animation, in which he examines how the structural elements of contemporary music can be applied to animated filmmaking. Freeride in C is both a part of this academic study and a practical exploration of its ideas.
“The score of In C consists of 53 modules that performers can loop as long as they wish,” Jansons continues. “This creates unpredictable melodic and rhythmic landscapes. In animation, repetition and looping have been a natural part of the medium’s vocabulary from the early days of pre-cinematic toys to the gifs of the internet age. This film is my attempt to unite these two art forms into a coherent and organic whole.”
Edmunds Jansons, an award-winning director and founder of the animation studio Atom Art, has a rich filmography that spans from children’s feature films like Jacob, Mimmi and the Talking Dogs to short films like Guard of Honour. His work has been celebrated at festivals worldwide, and with Freeride in C, Jansons continues to push the boundaries of animation language.
MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE FILM:
Creative team:
Director, script, editing, art design Edmunds Jansons
Producer Sabīne Andersone (Atom Art, LV)
Animation Edmunds Jansons, Mārtiņš Dūmiņš
Sound Ģirts Bišs
Music “in C” by Terry Riley performed by The Young Gods
Assistant Animators Kristīne Zvirbule, Sofija Jansone, Vidaga Grīnberga,
Ieva Treija, Liāna Mihailova
Director’s assistant Linda Stūre
Production manager Agne Skane
Distributor Square Eyes
Presskit: https://atomart.lv/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/PressKit.pdf
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/939018252
Poster: https://atomart.lv/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Poster.jpg
Film stills for download: https://shorturl.at/fBgwj
Premiere dates:
- National Premiere – Riga International Film Festival, Latvia (17 – 27 October, 2024) - Short Film Competition
- International Premiere – Ottawa International Animation Festival, Canada (25 – 29 September, 2024) - Official Competition
Festival selections:
- Animest – Bucharest International Animation Film Festival, Romania (4 – 13 October, 2024) - Short Competition
- Montclair Film Festival, United States (October 18 - 27, 2024) - Official Selection
- Fredrikstad Animation Festival, Norway (24 - 27 October, 2024) - Nordic-Baltic Film Competition
- International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film – DOK Leipzig, Germany (28 October – 3 November, 2024) Kids DOK / Young Eyes
- Etudia & Anima, 31 International Film Festival Krakow (22 – 27 October, 2024), Competition
- PÖFF Shorts, Estonia (8 – 20 November, 2024) - International Animation Competition
- Gijón International Film Festival, Spain (15-23 November, 2024) - Competition
- LIAF - London International Animation Festival, United Kingdom (22 November – 1 December, 2024) - Competition
- Animateka International Animated Film Festival, Slovenia (2 – 8 December, 2024) - Competition
