A City of Rust

A scientist tries to convince the City of Rust inhabitants to stop the reckless use of the mountain’s resources. When his recommendations are ignored and the "Rustonians" have to face the consequences of their indifference, they turn to him for help…

  • Omar El Araby
    Director
  • Omar El Araby
    Writer
  • Omar El Araby
    Producer
  • Hank Botwinik
    Key Cast
  • Francesco Granati
    Animator
  • Francesco Granati
    Art Director
  • Giulio Granati
    Composer
  • Lennart Kleinen
    Sound
  • Alan van Ramshorst
    Sound
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Experimental, Short
  • Genres:
    Adventure, Environment, Action, Fairytale
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 36 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 30, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    3,500 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Netherlands
  • Country of Filming:
    Switzerland
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Animaze International Animation Festival
    Montreal
    Canada
    August 20, 2016
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Shortcutz Amsterdam
    Amsterdam
    Netherlands
    October 11, 2016
    Dutch Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Uruguay International Animation Festival (FIA)
    Montevideo
    Uruguay
    September 16, 2016
    South American Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Gesticulation
    La Chaux de Fonds
    Switzerland
    October 1, 2016
    Swiss Premiere
    Official Selection
  • World of Film festival
    Glasgow
    United Kingdom
    October 2, 2016
    Out of Competition
  • Short to the point
    Bucharest
    Romania
    Official Selection
  • Holland Animation Film Festival
    Utrecht
    Netherlands
    March 23, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Animated Arizona
    Tucson
    United States
    April 1, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Europe on screen
    Several cities around Indonesia
    Indonesia
    May 9, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Film Festival Girona
    Girona
    Spain
    September 30, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Innbruck Nature Film Festival
    Innsbruck
    Austria
    October 11, 2017
    Official Selection
  • 8th International Green Culture Festival „Green Fest“
    Belgrade
    Serbia
    November 14, 2017
    Official Selection
  • FIlm in het Park
    Amsterdam
    Netherlands
    September 1, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Muestra de cine de Horror y Fantástico EL VAMPIRASCOPIO
    Tijuana
    Mexico
    November 3, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Todos somos otros
    Veracruz, Jucatan, Jalisco Queretaro Chihuahua
    Mexico
    November 8, 2017
    Official Selection
  • International Environmental Film Festival Green Vision
    St Petersburg
    Russian Federation
    Official Selection
  • Fincortex

    Official Selection
  • Bovi Film Festival
    Boise
    United States
    April 12, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Rotterdam's Open Doek
    Rotterdam
    Netherlands
    March 13, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Academia Film Olomouc
    Olomouc
    Czech Republic
    April 24, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Festival Internacional de Cine Ambiental FINCA
    Buenps Aires
    Argentina
    May 10, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Queen City Cinephiles
    Charlotte
    United States
    April 10, 2018
    Music in film
Distribution Information
  • Omar El Araby
    Country: Netherlands
Director Biography - Omar El Araby

Omar is born in Chiasso, a small town on the border between Switzerland and Italy. At 19 he moves to Fribourg (Switzerland) and enrolls in the University to get a Bachelor in Physics. Later he earns a Master and a PhD in theoretical physics and moves to Amsterdam to pursue an academic career.

It is in Amsterdam that he has his first contact with film after enrolling in a weekly course to learn the basics of filmmaking.

In November 2015 he decides to quit academia to focus on his first realization, "A City of Rust", a stop motion animation. The film's production ends in July 2016 and the film premieres at the Animaze film festival in Montreal where it is selected among the best films for screening at the sister festival WOFF in Glasgow.

"The Shining" and "Full Metal Jacket" producer Jan Harlan praised the film and its authors writing "Great execution and technical talent".

Omar is now busy promoting finishing a feature length documentary on drug addiction and developing his second animation.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

A City of Rust is a love letter to animation and cinema.

During production Francesco (the art director/animator) and I followed one principle: think of an image and use what's around you to create it. We wanted to show that a beautiful film can be made with little means when passion and creativity are not spared.

For this reason the sets and the puppets were made only with materials recovered from stuff found in the junkyard.

The script was then adapted on each day of shooting depending on what we were able to accomplish with the means that we had. Every scene was a challenge to film as we had to find a way to overcome several practical difficulties.

I believe all these ingredients make the film look more authentic and true to its nature and the message it wants to send.

I hope people enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed making it.