Life water

Film commentary: Water Life

Let yourself be lulled by the magnificent movement of shapes and colours in this abstract animated film.
Sometimes characters, sometimes abstract shapes, the coloured images dance with each other to form a beautiful choreography.

Watch on this site another film by the director

Nocturn

About the director

Jeff Scher, born in 1954, is a New York-based filmmaker, animator and painter. His work is experimental and his films are like paintings in motion. As in a dream or memory, shapes and colours follow one another in a frenetic rhythm and leave the viewer free to invent his or her own story.

As with Norman McLaren's films, these movements of abstract images allow the imagination to run wild, and in this sense are perfectly suited to young children. Read our article: Why are Norman McLaren's films suitable for younger children?
Jeff Scher's work is held in several world-renowned museums, including the permanent collections of MoMA in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Interview with the director:

Jeff Scher answers the "Films pour enfants" questionnaire. Discover a bit of his dreamlike world!

Questioning the film: Water Life

Understand the story, the theme, express your sensibility and exercise your critical mind.

1 What is the particularity of the film?
The images change very quickly.For a simple action like diving, the director uses up to 13 different images.
2 The film is made up of two types of images, which ones?
Hand-drawn pictures and photos.
3What do the hand-drawn pictures represent?
People and animals playing at the seaside; they swim, they dive, they play with a ball, they surf, they boat....
4What do the pictures represent?
Pieces of newspapers, tickets, postcards, stamps.
5What do the postcards, stamps make you think of?
Holidays because we often send postcards when we are on holiday.
6What is thetheme of the film?
Holidays by the sea, water, summer sun.Memory.
7What are the actions in the film?
Running, jumping, sliding, diving, floating, swimming, splashing...

Extensions
- Discover the director's other creations Jeff Scher's films.
About the director Jeff Scher, born in 1954, is a filmmaker, animator and painter based in New York.
His work is experimental and his films are like paintings in motion. As in a dream or a memory, shapes and colours follow one another in a frenetic rhythm and leave the viewer free to invent his or her own story.
As with Norman McLaren's films, these movements of abstract images allow the imagination to run wild and, in this sense, are perfectly suited to young children.
Jeff Scher's work is held in several world-renowned museums and is notably part of the permanent collections of MoMA in New York or the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Download PDF of the film's educational activities

Created with the support of the Ministry of Education and the CNC.
Family viewing of the film, educational activities with parents at home and with teachers in the classroom.
Réseau Canopé course (Memory)
Thematic course created by Jean-Louis Jouanneaud based on 4 films including Water Life.

Discover other educational sheets created with the support of the Ministry of Education and the CNC...