Norsk filminstitutt

Without any recollection of our past, we have become restless, always searching for something without knowing what it is. We no longer remember the square planet, but keep building square boxes here on earth. But for some of us, the memories of the Crystal planet returns in small fragments, invoking a sense of deja-vu. 

The Origin of Man tells the story about how humans are immigrants from another place, a planet square as a box. When a hostile creature threatens the planet, the residents had to evacuate, leaving their identity and memory behind.   

Production and distribution

Production Year:
2019
Production country:
Norway
Co production country:
Sweden
Release date (national):
2019-10-25
Production company:
Fabelfjord AS
Norwegian Toolbox AS
Co production company:
Dockhus Animation AB
Storyline Studios
Financing company:
Norwegian Film Institute
Swedish Film Institute
Fond for lyd og bilde
Nordnorsk Filmsenter AS
Film i Väst
Producer:
Merete Korsberg
Kristin Günther
Co producer:
Mikael Lindbom
Janne Hjeltnes
Film consultant:
Kari Moen Kristiansen

Director

  • Pjotr Sapegin

    Pjotr Sapegin was born in Moscow in 1955, to a family of artists. After initially studying under the artist Boris Birger he was educated at the Stanislawsky Theater Academy, graduating in 1978, holding a Masters degree in stage technology and design. After completing his studies he worked for 15 years as stage designer and art-director in various russian theatres – among them the renowned Bolshoi theatre – designing scenography and costumes for 60 theatre productions.

    In 1990 Sapegin emigrated to Norway, where he started from ”scratch”, working for a short period in both in restaurants and childcare, before being able to return to his artistic roots, creating visual art and designs for magazines, theatre and others. Realising that Norway – albeit with some notable exceptions – had a relatively limited history of making animation films, Sapegin soon turned his focus on this particular form of artistic expression and storytelling, making his debut with Herkules in 1991. Since then Sapegin has been living and working in Norway, and is now a Norwegian citizen.

    As a basis for his work Sapegin also became one of the founders of the animation studio Studio Magica AS in Oslo, but is now running his own production company, Pravda Productions (established 2001) with David Reiss-Andersen and Mikkel Sandemose. The animation branch of Pravda was renamed Kinopravda in 2004. 

    Since Herkules, Sapegin has developed into arguably the most prominent creator of Norwegian animated films, and has made a considerable number of both nationally and internationally highly acclaimed, and award winning short films. One Day a Man Bought a House (1998) alone has won more than 20 national and international awards, and has been screened at over 100 festivals worldwide. In addition to his short films, Sapegin has also made a number of internationally acclaimed animated commercials.

    Filmography, short films:

    Herkules (1991)
    Edvard
    (1992)
    Edvard - The Naked Truth
    (1993)
    Fish Balls
    (1993)
    Edvard - The Unbearable Lightness of Longing
    (1993)
    Ippolita - The little Amazon
    (1994)
    Edvard - The Stand-in
    (1995)
    Mons the Cat
    (1995)
    Edvard - The Cruise Tripper
    (1996)
    One Day a Man Bought a House
    (1998)
    The Salt Mill
    (1998)
    Snails
    (1999)
    In a Corner of the World
    (1

    Pjotr Sapegin

Cast

Nora:
Dagny Norvoll Sandvik
Boyfriend:
Henrik Holm
Mother:
Iren Reppen
Father:
Hallvard Holmen
Drunk Man:
Ola Furuseth
Dog:
Pjotr Sapegin

Awards

2019:
Fredrikstad Animation Festival
Audience Award
2020:
Nominated for the National Film Award Amanda for Best Short Film
2020:
AsterFest - International Short Film Festival
Silver Horseshoe - Best Animated Short

Festivals

2019:
Encounters Film Festival
2019:
Fredrikstad Animation Festival
2020:
TIFF - Tromsø International Film Festival
2020:
Minimalen Short Film Festival
2020:
Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film
2020:
Kristiansand International Children and Youth Film Festival
2020:
The Norwegian Short Film Festival
2020:
AsterFest - International Short Film Festival
2020:
Nordisk Panorama
2020:
Northern Character Film & TV Festival
2021:
Rhode Island International Film Festival

Crew

Screenplay:
Pjotr Sapegin
Director:
Pjotr Sapegin
Composer:
Anneli Drecker
Nils Petter Johansen
ProductionDesigner:
Kristin Günther
Cinematographer:
Janne K. Hansen
Editor:
Toril Strøm
Sound Design:
Bård Farbu
Animator:
Pjotr Sapegin
Marcos Valin
Eirik Grønmo Bjørnsen
VFX supervisor:
Alvaro Alonso Lomba

Technical information

Genre:
Animation
Drama
Sci-Fi
Format:
DCP 2k
Colour:
Colour
Length in min's:
13'

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