Katedra

The first time I ever saw The Cathedral, I was sitting in Film class in high school. It was the only movie all year that I didn't want to end. It held my attention, from the beginning to the end. In fact I didn't even notice that I didn't blink until my contacts blurred over. The computer animation is just stunning, the soundtrack is beautiful, and the story is brilliant; there can be so many different interpretations. Once I saw The Cathedral, I wanted to watch it again and again. If you get a chance to see this film definitely see it, see what you think it means. You'll definitely have fun trying to figure out the meaning of it all.

A computer graphic movie as never made before. Not a very complicated story, no dialogues, but the visual effect is really stunning. Based on Polish science-fiction short story by Jacek Dukaj, it is a masterpiece of computer-generated film art. Therefore, the Academy Award nomination is not a surprise.

Awesome experience! This piece is not about the storyline. I feel that it's an artistic look-n-feel "tidbit" that was derived from the storyline. I found the official, authorized website dedicated to Jacek Dukaj writings, but cannot post the URL here without breaking policy. I believe that the character in this short is waiting for someone... who never shows up. He is already aware of some of the technology involved in the creation of the Cathedral, but not fully aware of it's programming details... and that's what leads to the conclusion of this piece. The Cathedral itself is made of "crysthorn" - some sort of algorithm-based organic rock(?) and houses a tomb and an alter! It resides on an asteroid which allowed the crysthorn to reach great heights due to decreased gravity. I wanted to post some quotes from the "teaser" I found on the website dedicated to Jacek Dukaj writings, but I will refrain in fear of violating policy. The character mentions a gazebo that he "grew" at his parent's house when he was 13. This gazebo was "grown" from a package of similar crysthorn seeds. Hope this was helpful to you, and piqued your curiosity even more. Have fun! Excellent CG experience! One discrepancy I must mention: In all scenes showing sky... the skies are fairly clear, except when the character approaches the massive building and looks up. The sky is completely overcast! A very dramatic effect, but ruins the continuity.

On a far distant planet stands a immense cathedral, seemingly derelict and lifeless. A solitary traveler stands before the crumbling columns, silently watching and waiting. The film leaves countless questions unanswered, its dialogue-free script allowing for the visuals and music to tell the story, and for the viewer to fill in the blanks. Where is this beautiful planet? Who is this lone traveler? Why has he made this pilgrimage to such a remote cathedral? Indeed, who actually built this cathedral, and for how long has it stood here?

Tomek Baginski's animated short film, 'Katedra / The Cathedral,' is a fascinating and visually-stunning journey into the unknown, and a philosophical exploration of the nature of religion. It is based upon Jacek Dukaj's short story of the same name, and was created using 3ds Max, a full-featured 3D graphics application developed by Autodesk Media and Entertainment. The CGI visuals, which allegedly took three years to produce, are nothing short of perfect, every frame as beautiful as the last. With no dialogue to speak of, 'Katedra' also relies heavily on its choice of music, and the steadily-building electronic track used during the film's climax is wonderfully rousing.

The conclusion itself is worthy of some discussion, though I'll stop short of giving away what actually happens. What could this ending actually be implying? That a religion is comprised solely of its believers? Could the pilgrim's faith have allowed him to become a part of something wonderful and glorious? This, of course, is without considering whether or not the traveler knew what was about to happen when the sun made its dazzling appearance. Whatever your interpretation, there's no denying that this film is simply a thing of beauty.

Anyone who's seen the new Star Wars movies, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, The Matrix Reloaded and other heavy-CGI films can attest that the animation rarely conveys scope or true majesty: when you can tell something is fake, it's hard to let it take your breath away. However, The Cathedral is truly the first CGI I've seen that's left me in awe. The plot is elegantly simple, in fact, everything about this movie is elegant, beautiful and haunting. This is what CGI should be. Either this or Das Rad deserved to win the Oscar for best Animated Short.