AL TUDI TUHAK

CREDITS Story, Design, Animation, Camera, Backgrounds Tod Polson Sound and Music Bill Benson Narration Maurice Noble Ink and Paint / Checking Bernadette Polson Additional Animation Ben Jones, Mike Polvani

The film, Al Tudi Tuhak, is a creation story inspired by the art and mythology of the Northwest coast people. The story involves the creator, or "The Great Father" as he whittles the world into existance. Each of his wood shavings becoming fish, trees, birds,... even the sun and moon.

The film title, "long, long ago", or Al Tudi Tuhak in the Lushootseed language, was given by Upper Skagit Tribal Elder and storyteller, Taqwsheblu on a research trip filmmaker Tod Polson, and composer Bill Benson, made to the Northwest coast of the United States. The story itself is not an actual Northwest coast tale, but contains story and design elements from Alaska to Greenland.

Al Tudi Tuhak was Tod Polson's thesis project at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). All backgrounds and cells were painted with housepaint. This is his first completed film.

SCREENINGS AND AWARDS INCLUDE:
CalArts Experimental Showcase, May 1999
Anima Mundi - Brazil, June 1999
ASIFA "Annie Awards" - Nominee Best Short, Nov 1999
Yahoo.com - Video Pick, spring 2000
Kansas City Jubilee - Kodak/Int. Award, April 2000
Toas Talking Picture Festival, April 2000
Student Academy Award, May 2000
Ottawa Animation Festival, 2000
Toronto Film Festival, 2000
Tehran Film Festival, Iran, 2001
Cannes, special screening, 2001