Essential Cinema

It’s Such a Beautiful Day with ME
Directed by Don Hertzfeldt

Thursday, June 13, 6 pm | BUY TICKETS

$12 | $8 Speed members

“It’s Such a Beautiful Day is realized with remarkable inventiveness and technical sophistication.”—Forrest Wickman, Slate

Returning to theaters for the first time since 2012, It’s Such a Beautiful Day has been hailed by critics and audiences alike as one of the best animated films of all time.

Originally released as three short films over the course of six years, the picture was captured entirely in-camera on a 35mm rostrum animation stand. Built in the 1940s and used by Hertzfeldt on all of his animated films since 1999, it was one of the last surviving cameras of its kind still operating in the world, indispensable in creating the story’s unique images and visual effects. It’s Such a Beautiful Day painstakingly blended traditional hand-drawn animation and experimental optical effects with new digital hybrids, printed out one frame at time and placed under the camera.

The film’s signature “split screen” effects were achieved by photographing the animation through small holes that were positioned just beneath the camera lens. One area of the film frame would be individually photographed, the film was then rewound, another section of the frame would be exposed through a different hole, and the process repeated until all elements of a scene were composited together.

In 2012, the three completed short films about a man named Bill were seamlessly combined to create a new feature film. Upon its original release, It’s Such a Beautiful Day was named by many critics as one of the best films of the year. 2012, U.S., DCP, 62 minutes.

Don Hertzfeldt’s newest animated film ME is a 22-minute musical odyssey about trauma, technology, and the retreat of humanity into itself. Indiewire has described it as “soul-shaking” and “a triumph.” 2024, U.S., DCP, 22 minutes.  Total program length, 91 minutes. Recommended for 14+