The story of one small creature’s struggle to preserve a world in danger of being lost forever through recklessness and indifference.

Adapted and directed by Marc Craste, Varmints is a 24-minute film based on the award-winning book of the same name  – written by Helen Ward and illustrated by Marc Craste –  that tells the story of  a lonely varmint, living in an idyllic world that is suddenly destroyed by the arrival of a grey, high rise city. He saves what he can and tries to re-establish something of his old world. But can he control what he creates and is he alone in his mission?

A crew of 35 people worked in three countries over a two year period to make the film, and an original score by Icelandic composer Johann Johannsson and sound design by Adrian Rhodes complete the picture

John Maher/DotAndLine

“Underpinning all this bleak beauty is a sweeping score, deeply mournful at times and industrially eerie or grandly orchestral at others” — written by the much mourned  Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannson, who passed all too soon in 2018— The score to Varmints was written near the beginning of Jóhannson’s pivot from electronic chamber and ambient music toward something more cinematic—far before the composer of Englabörn and Virðulegu forsetar became better known for his work with director Denis Villeneuve on Prisoners, Sicario, and Arrival, or for his score for James Marsh’s The Theory of Everything. Yet it contains the same sort of subtle leitmotifs and atmospheric ambitions that Jóhannson achieves in any of his better-known compositions. (Its album version, entitled And in the Endless Pause There Came the Sound of Bees, adds an extra fifteen minutes of material and is all the better for it.) And, as with everything Jóhannson has composed, it holds space for both abyssal melancholy and a paper hope bridge above it, achieving a tender, if tenuous, balance over the dark. It is a fitting memorial. ”

Recognition

★★★★★

• Japan – Japan Wildlife Film Festival 2011 – Best Animation
• Venezuela – Int. Festival For Children & Youth – Best Animated Film
• Venezuela – Int. Festival Children & Youth – Jury Special Mention
• USA – Maverick Movie Awards 2010 – Best Animated Movie
• Ecuador – Chulpicine Film Festival 2011 – First Prize 7-14yrs
• USA – Maverick Movie Awards 2010 – Best Original Score
• China – Nn Panda Film Fest 2010 – The Most Favorite Film For Innovation
• France – Roanne I.A.S.F.F 2010 – Honorific Distinction Of The Jury
• USA – Nyicff 2010 – Environmental Film Award
• France – Court Metrange Rennes 2009 – Audience Prize
• Japan – Sapporo Short Film Fest 2009 – One Title Section Grand Prix
• Japan – Sapporo Short Film Fest 2009 – Best Original Score
• Spain – Ourense Int.  Film Festival 2009 – Special Jury Mention
• Serbia – Animanima 2009 – Special Distinction For Best Sound Design
• Iran – Int. Festival Of Films For Children 2009 – Golden Butterfly Prize
• Australia – Melbourne Int. Anim Film Fest  2009 – Audience Award For Long Shorts 
• Puerto Rico – Ricon Int.  Film Festival 2009 – Best Animated Short
• UK – Stoke Your Fires  Film Fest 2009 – Best Animated Short
• UK – Stoke Your Fires  Film Fest 2009 – Best Of Fest
• Norway – Minimalan Short Film Fest  2009 – International Audience Award
• USA – Omaha Film Festival 2009 – Best Animated Short Film
• Spain – Gijon Film Festival 2008 – Best Short Film For The Young Jury
• UK – Bradford Animation Festival 2008 – Grand Prize
• UK – Bradford Animation Festival 2008 – Audience Prize
• USA – Chicago Mediabridge Youth Film Fest 2008 – Best Animated Short
• USA – Rhode Island Int. Film Fest 2008 – Grand Prize For Best Animation
• USA – Rhode Island Int. Film Fest 2008 – Best Original Music Composition
• UK – Bafta 2009 – Nominated For Best Animated Short
• USA – Oscars 2009 – Shortlisted And Specially Commended.