December 4th, 2024 
Jackson Murphy 
It’s the end as we know it… in the short film Au Revoir Mon Monde (translated as Goodbye My World). The central character only has a short amount of time to make it to a clock tower. Why? That’s part of the mystery, drama and emotion of this year’s top recipient in the animated shorts category at the Student Academy Awards. This Animation Scoop Q&A was conducted via email, with answers from the six-person directing team of Estelle Bonnardel, Quentin Devred, Baptiste Duchamps, Maxime Foltzer, Florian Maurice and Astrid Novais. (Interview was edited for length and clarity.)
Q: How did it feel to win the gold medal at this year’s Student Academy Awards for this excellent short film?
A: We felt immense joy and pride, but above all, we were incredibly surprised to win such a prestigious award! To be honest, being one of the three winners in our category at the Student Academy Awards already felt like a victory. We truly didn’t think we had a shot at the gold medal. It seemed completely unreal to us!
Q: What fascinates you about the concept of the “end of the world”?
A: The end of the world, and the urgency that comes with it, creates a setting that brings out the most visceral reactions in people. I think if it were announced tomorrow, we’d be extremely surprised by how our neighbors, parents, and others would react. This kind of event has the power to turn ordinary people into unexpected heroes, which is exactly what happens in our film. The apocalypse is also a concept that can be endlessly reinvented. Creatively, there are no limits!
Q: Was the character always meant to be a man dressed as a fish, or did you
consider another animal?
A: At the very beginning, the character wasn’t even in costume — that idea came during the writing process. We explored many possibilities (we even debated whether to use an animal at all). For more empathy, a living being felt most appropriate. We wanted the animal to have a connection to the store where our character works. After many suggestions, the fish quickly became the obvious choice because it worked perfectly with the hero’s personality — “a fish out of water” — a fish swimming against the current to achieve its goal. Additionally, the fish’s expressionless face was ideal, allowing the audience to project their own feelings onto the character and imagine what he might be experiencing beneath the costume.
Q: How did you want to present humor amid the chaos?
A: We wanted the audience to connect with our character and become invested in his quirky journey. Without dialogue, we had to rely entirely on visual comedy. The key was to use situational gags, playing with the environment and the hero’s bulky costume — for example, the crane grabbing him like a fishing rod. The use of the scooter also added a lot of lightness and humor to this utterly wild race against time. For the situations to be as clear as possible, pacing and acting were crucial. The humor was meant to gradually transform our somewhat loser-like protagonist into a hero. Each time the fish finds himself in a critical situation, he emerges stronger.
Q: What was the hardest thing to animate and why: the meteorites/sky visuals,
the cranes, or the shattering glass?
A: At our level, everything was a technical challenge! Au Revoir Mon Monde was ambitious in every way for a student film: It aimed to be a mini blockbuster, created by a team of just six people in only 10 months. The FX (meteorites, smoke, explosions, shattering glass, and destruction) were a significant technical hurdle. The film’s final impact depended heavily on them, and only one team member, Quentin Devred, worked on them. We also had to find a good way to integrate them seamlessly into the scenes. The race against time was complex; the actions needed to be dynamic but also easy to follow. This required a lot of choreography, especially with the camera work. There were many back-and-forths between editing and storyboarding to get the timing of the shots just right.
Creating a believable, vibrant city was another big challenge! The 3D scenes were extremely heavy, and we needed a lot of storage space. Since we refused to compromise on quality, rendering times were very long. Some shots required extensive preparation because we could only render them once; any human error would have meant re-rendering, which wasn’t an option. In terms of animation, the ending was a major undertaking. There was no room for mistakes. When the two lovers embrace one last time, the emotions had to be pure, subtle, and heartfelt — a moment beautifully animated by Astrid!
Q: What were your ideas for the type of music you wanted during the man’s run
to the clock tower?
A: The idea was to have music that contrasted with the situation—something fun but that still conveyed the urgency of a ticking clock. It also needed to emphasize the story’s sense of adventure and epic scale without resorting to a clichéd orchestral score. Our number one reference was Susumu Hirasawa’s work, and our composer, Titouan Gramain, perfectly captured what we were aiming for.
Q: The final scene is powerful. What did you want it to say about loneliness,
relationships, and love?
A: I’d say one of the film’s biggest messages is to not wait until the last moment to say “I love you,” to listen to your heart, and not to put things off. Love can push us to overcome unimaginable obstacles. In the face of love, nothing else matters — not even the end of the world! The film’s ending is meant to show that it was all worth it and that, despite the tragic circumstances, there’s beauty in the determination of someone in love. We’re happy that the audience feels moved and emotional during this final moment — that means we did our job, and that’s what matters most!
- INTERVIEW: The World Of “Au Revoir Mon Monde” - December 4, 2024
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