The True Story of Sawney Beane

200510 min 39 secFilm: Animation

Direction: Elizabeth Hobbs

Production: Ken AndersonDavid Verrall (National Film Board of Canada)Katja Anderson (Red Kite Animations Limited)Michael Fukushima (National Film Board of Canada)

Script: Elizabeth HobbsMark Jenkins

Produced by the National Film Board of Canada in co-production with Red Kite Animations Limited in association with Scottish Screen.

In 16th-century Scotland, young Sawney Beane yearns to itch and scratch and buccaneer. So he bids farewell to his parents and their life of honest toil.

Forty years on, Mr. Beane croaks his dying wish to Betty, his wife. "Go and find our lost son." And so Betty strikes off on her quest across the land, with the family savings in a hankie and a secret suspicion in her heart.

The True Story of Sawney Beane reveals what really happened to the infamous Scottish cannibal. Not only was he the vilest felon in the kingdom of King James VI, he was also a son, beloved of Betty. The story, brought to life with charcoal and soft washes of colour, is written and animated by filmmaker Elizabeth Hobbs. It is narrated in actress Sheila Donald's rich brogue and scored by Normand Roger.

Technique: charcoal and watercolour on paper.

Subject categories


  • Foreign Countries > Great Britain
  • Literature and Language > Legends, Myths, and Tales

Credits


direction
Elizabeth Hobbs
script
Elizabeth Hobbs
animation
Elizabeth Hobbs
narration
Sheila Donald
original music
Normand Roger
sound design
Normand Roger
original music - collaboration
Denis Chartrand
sound design - collaboration
Denis Chartrand
musician
Bernard Cormier
Michel Dubeau
Alain Cazes
picture editing
Mark Jenkins
story editor
Mark Jenkins
sound editing
Pierre Yves Drapeau
story editing
Mark Jenkins
voice recording
Stewart Wakefield
digital imaging specialist
Pierre Plouffe
Susan Gourley
digital film specialist
Pierre Landry
re-recording
Serge Boivin
video on-line
Denis Pilon
titles
Gaspard Gaudreau
production supervisor
Richard Lesage
Jennifer Loughnan
administration
Gisèle Guilbault
Jocelyne Lalonde
marketing manager
Hélène Tanguay
executive producer
Ken Anderson
David Verrall
producer
Katja Anderson
Michael Fukushima

Awards


  • McLaren Award for New British AnimationInternational Film Festival
  • Award for Best International Programme 3London International Animation Festival - LIAF
  • "Centaur" Prize for best animation film, Cash prize of 2000 USDMessage to Man
  • Cineplex Odeon Award for Best Short AnimationFilm Festival