Four Souls of Coyote explained

Four Souls of Coyote
Native Name:
Language:hu
Kojot négy lelke
Director:Áron Gauder
Producer:Réka Temple
Starring:Fred Tatasciore
Editing:Áron Gauder
Animator:Zsolt Baumgartner
Color Process:Color
Studio:Cinemon Entertainment
Distributor:Vertigo Media
Runtime:100 minutes
Country:Hungary
Language:English

Four Souls of Coyote (Hungarian: Kojot négy lelke) is a 2023 Hungarian animated adventure drama film directed by Áron Gauder, who co-wrote the film with Géza Bereményi. The film, set in the present day, shows Native American protesters confronting the crew of an oil pipeline project, just down the hill from the land of their ancestors, and highlights the pressing need to live in harmony with the environment.[1] It was released in Hungarian cinemas on 16 March 2023 by Vertigo Media.[2] [3]

Four Souls of Coyote was selected as the Hungarian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.[4] On December 7, it appeared in the eligible list for consideration for the 2024 Oscars,[5] but it did not make it to the shortlist.[6]

Story outline

The film has tagline: "Nothing is eternal but the Earth and the mountains".

The film is set in the present day, with a scenario where Native American protesters confront the crew of an oil pipeline project, located near their ancestral land. The grandfather shares an ancient tale of their Creation myth, reminding humans that the challenges facing humanity are universal and that they need to find their place in the great circle of creation.

The story highlights that humans are just a small part of creation, and that destroying Earth because we think we are special is self-damaging. The story is a clarion call to act, to correct course before it's too late.

The story filled with adventures featuring animals, magic, hunger, greed, and the sacred circle of all creations, gives us hope that it is not too late to save Earth.

Voice cast

English

Production

Áron Gauder began working on the film in 2017 with Cinemon and producer Réka Temple.[7] [8] In February 2022, first photos from the animated film showing the creation story of the Indians were published.[9] By May 2022, 95% animation was completed.[10] The film was shot in 2D animation with audio in 5.1/stereo format.

Music

The music and songs are composed by Joanne Shenandoah, Mariee Siouthe, Session Voices, Ulali, and Northern Cree.

Release

The film was released in Hungary on 16 March 2023.[11] In April, it competed in Arizona International Film Festival and was screened on 28 April 2023. It was also selected at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in Feature competition, where it won Jury Award and at the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival, where it won Golden Goblet for Best Animation Film on 18 June 2023.[12] At the Kecskemét Animation Film Festival it was screened on 25 June as winner of Grand Prize.[13]

The film will be celebrated at the Hungarian Film Festival of Los Angeles, where it will be screened on October 28, 2023.[14] It will open the Red Nation Film Festival on 3 November 2023.[15]

It was reported on 6 June 2023, that Gebeka International, a France based sales company, has taken the sales rights of the film.[16]

Reception

Wendy Ide review for ScreenDaily gave positive views and opined, "With its emphasis on mythic storytelling and its elegant, stylised graphic approach, the film could connect with a similar audience to that of Cartoon Saloon’s forays into Irish folkloric fantasy: The Song of the Sea, The Secret of Kells and Wolfwalkers." Ide felt that by framing the beauty of nature in every frame and "using a striking blend of 2D and 3D animation and a strong graphic style pleasingly reminiscent of the work of mid-century artist Charley Harper, the film is a timely reminder of the importance of living harmoniously with the natural world."[17] Fabien Lemercier reviewing for Cineuropa highlighted the theme of the film with the quote placed at the beginning of the film, "Only when the last tree has died, the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realise that we can't eat money." Concluding Lemercier wrote, "Four Souls of Coyote is both simple and subtly sophisticated, both narratively and visually," Lemercier added, "[it is] a mystical ode to nature that rightly reminds us that 'man does not weave the web of life. He is only a strand of it'".[18]

Accolades

In addition to the selection of the film as the Hungarian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards, it won Golden Goblet Award for Best Animation Film at the Shanghai International Film Festival.[19]

AwardDateCategoryRecipientResult
Arizona International Film Festival28 April 2023Special Jury Award for Innovative AnimationFour Souls of Coyote[20]
Třeboň Anifilm17 May 2023The Liberec Region Audience Award [21]
New Media Film Festival5 June 2023Grand Prize [22]
Annecy International Animation Film Festival17 June 2023Jury Award [23] [24]
Cristal for a Feature Film
Shanghai International Film Festival18 June 2023Golden Goblet Award for Best Animation Film[25]
Kecskemét Animation Film Festival25 June 2023Grand Prize[26]
Audience Award
Best European Feature Film
Annie AwardsFebruary 17, 2024Best Animated Feature — Independent[27]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Four Souls of Coyote. Four Souls of Coyote. 25 October 2023. en. 26 October 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231026034043/https://www.4soulsofcoyote.com/film. live.
  2. Web site: Kojot négy lelke animáció . Four Souls of Coyote animation . National Film Institute . 16 March 2023 . 25 October 2023 . hu . 26 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231026112543/https://nfi.hu/en/films/four-souls-of-coyote.html . live .
  3. Web site: Four Souls of Coyote . . 26 October 2023 . 26 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231026031843/https://cineuropa.org/film/439828/ . live .
  4. Web site: Oscars: Hungary Selects Climate Change Animation 'Four Souls Of Coyote' For International Film Category . Lodderhose . Diana . 8 September 2023 . 25 October 2023 . Deadline Hollywood . en . 8 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230908150006/https://deadline.com/2023/09/oscars-hungary-selects-climate-change-animation-four-souls-of-coyote-international-film-category-1235540416/ . live .
  5. News: Academy Announces 288 Eligible Titles for Animated, Documentary and International Feature Oscar Races . Clayton Davis . . December 7, 2023 . December 7, 2023 . en . 8 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231208141544/https://variety.com/2023/film/awards/oscars-eligibility-animated-documentary-international-feature-2023-1235827670/ . live .
  6. Web site: 96th Oscars Shortlists Announced for 10 Categories . 21 December 2023 . 22 December 2023 . Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . en . 22 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231222003716/https://aframe.oscars.org/news/post/96th-oscars-shortlists . live .
  7. Web site: Hungary's Cinemon Teases 'Four Souls of Coyote' Movie Inspired by Native American Mythology . Animation Magazine . October 27, 2022 . Milligan, Mercedes . October 27, 2023 . January 2, 2024 . https://archive.today/20240102110941/https://www.animationmagazine.net/2022/10/hungarys-cinemon-teases-four-souls-of-coyote-movie-inspired-by-native-american-mythology/ . live .
  8. Web site: Four Souls of Coyote, Cinemon Entertainment. Cinemon. October 27, 2023. 26 October 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231026164525/https://www.cinemon.hu/featurefilms. live.
  9. Web site: A Nyócker után az indiánokról készít filmet Gauder Áron. After Nyócker, Áron Gauder makes a film about Indians. 24.hu. February 21, 2022. October 27, 2023. 8 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221108085128/https://24.hu/kultura/2022/02/21/gauder-aron-minden-a-rokonom-film-nyocker-animacio/. live.
  10. Web site: Production: Áron Gauder Works on Animated Film on Native American Creation. May 7, 2022. October 27, 2023. Denes Varga. FilmNewEurope. 14 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231114111716/https://www.filmneweurope.com/news/hungary-news/item/123288-production-aron-gauder-works-on-animated-film-on-native-american-creation. live.
  11. Web site: Kojot négy lelke - Bár minden évben érkezneegy ilyen magyar animációs film. The four souls of a coyote - Although there would be a Hungarian animated film like this every year. Roboraptor. March 22, 2023. October 27, 2023. hu. 28 May 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230528004702/https://www.roboraptor.hu/2023/03/22/kojot-negy-lelke-kritika-indian-mese/. live.
  12. Web site: Shanghai Film Festival Unveils 2023 Competition Selection (Featuring No U.S. Movies) . Patrick Brzeski . Hollywood Reporter . 29 May 2023 . 26 October 2023 . en . 22 June 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230622122436/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/shanghai-film-festival-2023-competition-lineup-1235503065/ . live .
  13. Web site: Belgium Is Guest of Honor at 16th Kecskemét Animation Film Festival . 20 June 2023 . October 26, 2023 . Hungary Today . en . 26 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231026092902/https://hungarytoday.hu/belgium-is-guest-of-honor-at-the-16th-kecskemet-animation-film-festival/ . live .
  14. News: Hungarian Film Festival of Los Angeles Brings the Best of Magyar Cinema to American Audiences . Christopher Vourlias . . 22 October 2023 . 26 October 2023 . en . 25 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231025231735/https://variety.com/2023/film/global/hungarian-film-festival-of-los-angeles-2023-1235764320/ . live .
  15. Web site: Four Souls of Coyote . 26 October 2023 . 26 October 2023 . Red Nation International Film Festival . en . 26 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231026073326/https://www.rednationff.com/four-souls-of-coyote/ . live .
  16. Web site: Gebeka Int'l Boards Annecy Competition Title 'Four Souls Of Coyote' Inspired By Native American Creation Myth . Melanie Goodfellow . Deadline . 5 June 2023 . 26 October 2023 . en . 5 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231005043811/https://deadline.com/2023/06/gebeka-international-annecy-competition-title-four-souls-of-coyote-1235409393/ . live .
  17. Web site: 'Four Souls Of Coyote': Annecy Review . Wendy . Ide . June 20, 2023 . October 26, 2023 . . en . 30 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230930035842/https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/four-souls-of-coyote-annecy-review/5183259.article . live .
  18. Web site: Review: Four Souls of Coyote . Fabien . Lemercier . 15 March 2023 . . 26 October 2023 . 26 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231026033015/https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/439830/ . live .
  19. News: Hungarian Oscar Entry 'Four Souls of Coyote' Animates Native American Creation Myth to Reframe Story of Climate Crisis . Christopher Vourlias . . 22 October 2023 . 26 October 2023 . en . 26 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231026030729/https://variety.com/2023/film/global/hungary-best-international-feature-oscar-four-souls-of-coyote-1235764353/ . live .
  20. Web site: Four Souls of Coyote . 14 November 2022 . 28 April 2023 . Arizona International Film Festival . en . 8 June 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230608183221/http://www.filmfestivalarizona.com/film-detail.php?id=1123 . live .
  21. Web site: My Love Affair with Marriage and Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia win top prizes at Anifilm . GoCritic! . Vena . 17 May 2023 . 26 October 2023 . Cineuropa . en . 26 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231026031121/https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/442579/ . live .
  22. Web site: Winners of New Media Film Festival . New Media Film Festival . 5 June 2023 . 26 October 2023 . en.
  23. Web site: Annecy Unveils 2023 Competition Line-Ups & First Details Of Studio Sneak Peek Presentations. Deadline. Melanie. Goodfellow. April 27, 2023. October 25, 2023. 4 May 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230504192636/https://deadline.com/2023/04/annecy-international-film-festival-2023-competition-line-up-1235339347/. live.
  24. Web site: 'Chicken for Linda!' Wins 2023 Annecy Festival . Scott Roxborough . Hollywood Reporter . 17 June 2023 . 26 October 2023 . en . 22 June 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230622004436/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/2023-annecy-awards-winners-list-chicken-for-linda-top-prize-1235518192/ . live .
  25. News: Japan's 'Yoko' Wins Golden Goblet Prize at Shanghai Film Festival . Patrick Frater . . 18 June 2023 . 26 October 2023 . en . 26 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231026024827/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/shanghai-film-festival-prize-golden-goblet-yoko-1235647872/ . live .
  26. News: Thr 16th KAFF Prizes were Awarded . Kecskemét Animation Film Festival . 25 June 2023 . 26 October 2023 . en . 26 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231026082914/https://2023.kaff.hu/en/hirek/the-16th-kaff-prizes-were-awarded . live .
  27. Web site: Netflix's 'Nimona' Leads Annie Awards 2024 Nominations . Flores . Terry . 11 January 2024 . 12 January 2024 . Variety . en-US.