Larryland
An ageing hedonistic ex-convict convinces an aspiring filmmaker to help him on his mission to avoid a lonely nursing home fate, sparking a film on the clash between manic romanticism and the frightening banality of death. Playfully blending humour and tragedy, this quirky fairytale-driven animated documentary pushes its audience to face the question: what makes a good death?
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Leo MetcalfDirector
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David LaytonCinematographerBetter this world, Richard Linklater: Dream Is Destiny
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Romain BeckEditorThe Watchmaker
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Mariko MontpetitEditorThe Act of Killing, The Look of Silence
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Emiliano MottaComposerA stone's throw, Tau
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Leo MetcalfProducer
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Project Type:Documentary, Feature
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Genres:Comedy, Character based
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Runtime:1 hour 26 minutes
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Completion Date:August 10, 2016
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Country of Origin:Mexico
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Country of Filming:Mexico, United States
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Language:English, Spanish
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:No
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Worldwide Premier still available
After a decade working on radio programmes on health, environment and education in Madagascar and Afghanistan, Leo Metcalf turned to filmmaking and worked on two documentaries in parallel. The first was Larryland, the second DisAstro, in which Capitalism and its crisis in Greece are portrayed through the echoes they leave on the landscape. He is currently working on a sci-fi animation short, A Dying Sun as well as a film mixing live action and animation that explores consciousness and perception.
Ever since I first met Larry he would tell me countless lighthearted contradictory plans he had for how he would die, what his funeral would be like, and what would be done with his body.
So the idea of his death never seemed real to me, even near the very end. Even as we both waited for it.
I set out to film a roadtrip, but Larryland became a film about the search for home, friendship and death, asking hard questions about the end of life.
Did Larry’s choices mean anything? What makes a good life?
What makes a good death?