Falafel Cart

Falafel Cart is a 2019 animated family short drama film produced by RoyalTales and directed by Abdullah Al-Wazzan with an original score by Dan Phillipson and sound design by Andrew Vernon. The short blends stop motion animation with traditional and some computer animation.[1] In 2019, the film was submitted for the 2020 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film[2][3][4][5] making it Kuwait's first short film to ever be submitted to the Academy Awards.[6] In 2020 The film earned an official selection at the Hiroshima International Animation Festival in the best of the world program.[7][8][9][5] In 2021 the film won best animated short at the Burbank International Film Festival.[10] In 2019 the film won best international short film at the Los Angeles Animation Festival.[11]

Falafel Cart
Falafel Cart Official Film Poster
Film poster
Directed byAbdullah Al-Wazzan
Written byAbdullah Al-Wazzan
Music byDan Phillipson
Animation byAbdullah Al-Wazzan
Color processColor
Production
company
RoyalTales
Distributed byRoyalTales
Release date
  • September 13, 2019 (2019-09-13)
Running time
14 minutes
CountryKuwait
LanguageEnglish

Plot

During a stormy night, an immigrant falafel vendor who lives in his cart in the middle of nowhere stumbles upon a mysterious flower. The extraordinary encounter sparks something within him and eventually makes him relive scenes from his past life.[12]

Production

The film was inspired by the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, highlighting the impact on people who are merely seeking a better life.[5] The project first came to life after Al-Wazzan started to experiment with a different form of animation that employed a combination of stop-motion, computer generated animation, claymation and traditional animation.[13] The filmmaker single-handedly animated the entire film, built and painted hundreds of models, puppets and backgrounds in a span of three years in order to achieve a distinct world for the film.[1]

Release

Falafel Cart first premiered theatrically in Los Angeles, California on September 13, 2019.[14] The film then began its festival run at the Los Angeles Animation Festival on December 8, 2019 where it won Best International Short Film.[11] In 2021 ShortTV obtained non exclusive distribution rights to the film for release on its live channels and streaming platforms.[15] On September 11, 2021 the film screened at AMC Theatres in Burbank as part of the Burbank International Film Festival.[15]

List of release dates and screenings for Falafel Cart
Release date Country Event Notes
13 September 2019 United States Theatrical release[14] World Premier
8 December 2019 United States Los Angeles Animation Festival[11]
14 December 2019 United States Palm Springs International Animation Festival[16]
March 2020 Greece Athens Animfest[17]
4 March 2020 United States DC Independent Film Festival[18]
30 July 2020 United States Sonoma International Film Festival[19]
2 August 2020 United Kingdom The Animator Showcase[9]
13 August 2020 United States Hollyshorts[20]
20 August 2020 Japan Hiroshima International Animation Festival[7]
15 October 2020 United Kingdom Southampton International Film Festival[21]
23 October 2020 Morocco Rabat International Author Film Festival[22]
18 November 2020 Canada Montreal International Animation Film Festival[23]
18 November 2020 Qatar Ajyal Film Festival[24]
3 July 2021 France Paris International Animation Film Festival[25]
9 September 2021 United States Burbank International Film Festival[26]
7 April 2022 Kuwait Limited theatrical release
21 December 2022 Sweden Limited[27]

Accolades

The film received the following awards and nominations:

List of accolades received by Falafel Cart
Year Country Event Category Recipients and nominees Result
2019
United States
 Palm Springs International Animation Festival[16] In Competition Best Animated Short Nominated
Los Angeles Animation Festival[11] Best International Short Film Won
2020 DC Independent Film Festival[18] Short Animation Finalist Nominated
2020
United Kingdom
 Southampton International Film Festival[21] Best Animated Short Film Nominated
Best Director of an Animated Film Nominated
2020
Qatar
 Ajyal Film Festival[24] Hilal Short Film Competition Nominated
2021
France
 Paris International Animation Film Festival[28] Horizons Competition Nominated
2021
United States
 Burbank International Film Festival[10] Best Animated Short Won

References
  1. "Home". Falafel Cart. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  2. de Wit, Alex Dudok (October 18, 2019). "2020 Best Animated Short Film Oscar: A List Of Potentially Qualifying Films In The Category (Exclusive)". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  3. "عبدالله الوزان: النزاعات والحروب جعلتني أفكّر في مصير الإنسان". جريدة القبس الإلكتروني (in Arabic). 2019-11-07. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
  4. "بالفيديو عبدالله الوزان لـ الأنباء فلافل كارت ينافس على أوسكار 2020". alanba.com.kw (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-08-27.
  5. "IN CONVERSATION WITH ABDULLAH AL-WAZZAN". bazaar.town | The ultimate guide to Kuwait. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  6. ""فلافل كارت" يحصد جائزة أفضل فيلم في "بربانك"". www.aljarida.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-10-17.
  7. Hiroshima, International Animation Festival. "Best of the World". International Animation Festival Hiroshima. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
  8. "الوزان لـ "الراي": "فلافل كارت" يواصل إنجازاته... بالمشاركة في "هيروشيما للأنيميشن"". alraimedia.com. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
  9. "عبد الله الوزان فلافل كارت وصل إلى هيروشيما". alanba.com.kw (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-08-27.
  10. "Burbank International Film Festival | 2021 Award Winners". Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  11. "2019 WINNERS – December 5-6 2020". LAA Fest. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  12. Knight, Jason (2020-09-29). "Falafel Cart short animated film review". UK Film Review. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  13. "Falafel Cart | Film Threat". 2020-09-24. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  14. "2019 Shorts by the Sea". laemmle.com. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  15. ""فلافل كارت" يشارك في "بربانك السينمائي"". www.aljarida.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-10-17.
  16. "'Funan' and 'I Lost My Body' Lead Film Selections at PSIAF 2019". Animation World Network. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  17. "Athens Animfest 2020 - Falafel Cart". athensanimfest.eu. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  18. Festival, DC Independent Film (January 7, 2020). "Announcing with Zest: DCIFF 2020 Animation and Web Series Finalists". DCIFF. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  19. "2020 Sonoma International Film Festival". sonoma2020.eventive.org. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  20. "Monthly Ticket Screenings —". hollyshorts.com. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
  21. "AWARDS NOMINATIONS - Southampton International Film Festival". southamptonfilmfest.com. Retrieved 2020-09-19.
  22. Shorts, Animation. "عربة الفلافل / FALAFEL CART / CHARIOT DE FALAFELS" (in French). Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  23. "2020 List of Films". Animaze Montreal International Animation Festival. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  24. "Ajyal Film Festival | مهرجان أجيال السينمائي". 2020.ajyalfilm.com. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  25. "PIAFF - Paris International Animation Film Festival". parisfestivalpiaffEN (in French). Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  26. "Burbank International Film Festival". Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  27. Lund, Folkets Bio i. "Around the World in 74 minutes - Kortfilmsdagen 2022 – Bio i Lund - Kino & Södran". Kino.nu (in Swedish). Retrieved 2023-05-16.
  28. Falafel Cart (2019) - IMDb, retrieved 2021-03-03
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