Short films
Yesterday I stopped in to see the new exhibits at Mendel. This is one of my favourite galleries because the exhibits are just the right size. They are not so big they overwhelm you, there is a nice amount of Saskatchewan content, and there is always a piece or two of rather unsual art.

I was highly entertained by the short film 'Monkey and Deer' by Graeme Patterson. It brings to life the theme of the dying prairie town with a whimsically animated Monkey and Deer. It reminded of a film I saw earlier this year called 'Three Minute Miracle' by Amalie Atkins. It was something about the music, the prairie landscape and the playful story that made me think of it. The Atkins film is harder to describe but it involves the journey of a young girl carrying a giant cake, and a fantastical and memorable music scene with a group of wolves or bears singing a song about teeth. I hear the film has now travelled to Berlin. On the prairies it seems the wide open spaces lend themselves quite well to imagination and creativity.