The Heart Behind Saba
What if you could tell the story of someone you loved without saying a single word?
That is part of what makes Saba, the animated short film we’ll be screening at this year’s Wine & Cheese Gala, so special.
The film comes from DreamWorks artist and filmmaker Liron Topaz, whose credits include Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon and The Bad Guys. But Saba isn’t a big studio project. It is something much more personal.
“I really wanted to make this film for one of the people who shaped me the most. For me, that was my grandfather.”
Liron had wanted to create a film in his grandfather’s memory for some time, but he struggled with how to tell the story.
The answer came through metaphor.
“I thought, wouldn’t it be interesting to tell a poetic tale about life and death and closure with that special someone that really made an impact on your life.”
In Saba, reverse gravity becomes a visual representation of the fragility of life and the time we have with the people we love.
“The way I see it, the reverse gravity in this film, in this world, in the film, represents our borrowed time in this world.”
There is no dialogue in Saba. Instead, Liron wanted the story to be something people could understand and feel no matter where they came from.
And they have.
people really connect to it regardless of what culture they’re coming from.
The film has screened for audiences around the world, including in Japan, China, Brazil, Sydney, Spain and Mexico.
“I feel that’s what makes people really connect to it regardless of what culture they’re coming from. So I feel that’s the power of the film.”
On September 1, we’ll have the opportunity to experience Saba together at The Jewish Experience’s 24th Annual Wine & Cheese Gala, followed by a conversation with Liron himself.
It’s a beautiful film about love, loss, memory and the people who shape us.
And this time, we get to hear the story behind it directly from the person who created it.
