su Zippy Frames

Arithmetique: a pleasant Ravel nightmare

A student film by Giovanni Munari and Dalila Rovazzani elaborates beautifully on the dreary (and sometimes dreadful) subject of arithmetic. The two Italian directors utilise Ravel's opera, L' enfant et les sortilèges (The Child and the Spells) to create a visually enchanting universe. A boy starts doing his math homework, but he never gets past the first few problems. Suddenly, spilt ink is transformed into an old bearded man, who transfers the boy to a stylish world of huge numbers and black-and-white situations.  Arithmetique feels like a vintage, warm-colored study of the creativity struggle.