Artistic inspiration can come from the most unexpected places─just ask Calgary-based Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby, creators of the short film The Flying Sailor. The duo, known for such films as When the Day Breaks and Wild Life, took inspiration from the 1917 Halifax Explosion for their newest work. The explosion – caused by the early morning collision of the TNT-laden French cargo ship SS Mont-Blanc and the Norwegian SS Imo – was unquestionably tragic for the Halifax and surrounding community (including the Mi’kmaq First Nation settlement in nearby Turtle Grove, which was never rebuilt). Yet, in The Flying Sailor, Forbis and Tilby are able to find beauty and even humour in the catastrophe by focusing their attention on the story of a single British sailor. The pair imagines his experience through a mix of 2D, 3D, live action, and photography techniques, with their variations mirroring the work’s blend of meditative philosophy and playful exuberance. Their innovative combinations paid off: the film has won nine awards to date, and was nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 95th...