The Song-Catcher (2001)

Original title: Chasse papillon

An old man is obsessed by the haunting memory of his beloved who has passed on. He chases and collects butterflies while life slowly passes him by. The butterfly symbolizes his past happiness. Its erratic flight mimics the tragic tale of passionate love as the story flits between past and present, dream and reality. Set to the music of Gluck, The Song-Catcher shows an old man tormented by his dreams and consumed by sadness until his final release into eternity. Reminiscent of the world of Edgar Allan Poe, Philippe Vaucher's charcoal drawings capture the mournful landscapes of a tormented soul. In this hauntingly beautiful animated film, life melds into death in a sensuous celebration of love eternal. A film without words.