SUGARTOWN is set in a bizarre and untamed garden in the bloom of spring, a matriarchal society where the male presence is removed. The characters in this animation are strange animal/monster/female hybrids; they are charmingly monstrous and represent the notion of being an “othering”. SUGARTOWN has strong feminist overtones and uses abstract sensibilities to create a highly stylized animation that carries a deeper message about the power of sisterhood.
The loose narrative in SUGARTOWN is a humorous investigation of the complexities of female friendships, and the intimate spaces in which those relationships take place. The lush and untamed garden becomes a metaphor for this intimate feminized space that becomes the setting of bizarre events. I have always been interested how the “feminine” manifests in nature, be it within the confines of an elegant Victorian gardens or wild enchanted forests, and how the gendering of nature has been portrayed throughout history, art, mythology and folklore.
Written and Animated by Natasha Jensen
Sound Design: Tigerwing
Technical Producer: Tyler Longmire
Produced by Quickdraw Animation Society
Funded by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts
Mentorship and special thanks to Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis