Cadaver: A Bittersweet Love Story

Overview: CADAVER is 2D animated short film and adult picture book. It is a bittersweet love story starring Back to the Future’s Christopher Lloyd, fashion blogger Tavi Gevinson and Academy Award winner Kathy Bates. CADAVER is written and directed by Jonah D. Ansell and produced by Amanda Ely and Mike Raspatello.

Synopsis: A cadaver wakes up to say a last goodbye to his wife, but discovers a truth in death he didn’t know in life.

Why It’s Unique: CADAVER isn’t just any old love story. It is a cinematic poem. Literally, it rhymes. Inspired by the wit of Shel Silverstein and the wisdom of William Shakespeare, it is a 21st century love sonnet that seeks to awaken the hopeful romantic within even the harshest cynic. The film is based on a poem Ansell wrote after a phone call from his sister who had a bit of a freak-out when she, a medical student at Northwestern, had to work on her first cadaver.  Additionally, Cadaver features a haunting rendition of Neil Young’s 1972 Billboard #1 hit, Heart of Gold, performed by Tavi Gevinson.

CADAVER - The Film - Trailer from JAMS on Vimeo.

Christopher Lloyd: The Cadaver

Christopher Lloyd is a three-time Emmy winner and one of the best character actors in the business. In addition to his award winning role of Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the hit series, Tax i, his notable films include the Academy Award-winning One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and of course, the iconic Back to the Future trilogy.

 

Tavi Gevinson: Lynn the Medical Student

Tavi Gevinson is editor-in-chief and founder of RookieMag.com and writes the thestylerookie.com. Rookie, a site for teenage girls, broke 1 million page views within 5 days of launching in September of 2011, and contributors have included Miranda July, Dan Savage, Joss Whedon, JD Samson, and Zooey Deschanel. It has received praise from Weekend Edition Sunday on NPR, the New Yorker, and a number of other publications, and, most importantly, the girls who write to it. Tavi has also written for publications such as Harper’s Bazaar, Jezebel, Lula, and Pop, and is a contributing editor to GARAGE magazine. She is 15 and a sophomore in high school, and also the author of an embarrassing diary recently found from the 6th grade.

Kathy Bates: Beth

Kathy Bates rose to prominence with her performance in Misery, for which she won an Academy Award. She also received Best Supporting Actress Nominations for Primary Colors and About Schmidt. Notable films include Fried Green Tomatoes, Dolores Claiborne and the epic blockbuster, Titanic. She currently stars in NBC’s Harry’s Law, for which she received her ninth Emmy nomination.