2008, USA, 78 min
Technical Data: Color/ 1:1.85/

Director, Writer, Animator: Bill Plympton,
Producer: Bill Plympton, Biljana Labovic
Art Direction: Bill Plympton, Biljana Labovic
Production Artists: Biljana Labovic, Kerri Allegretta, Lisa LaBracio
Editor: Kevin Palmer
Sound Design: Greg Sextro
Music: Hank Bones, Nicole Renaud, Corey Jackson, Rachelle Garniez, Didier Carmier, 3 Leg Torso, Tom Waits, Pink Martini

Synopsis

IDIOTS AND ANGELS a dark comedy about a man's battle for his soul.

Angel is a selfish, abusive, morally bankrupt man who hangs out at his local bar, berating the other patrons. One day, Angel mysteriously wakes up with a pair of wings on his back. The wings make him do good deeds, contrary to his nature. He desperately tries to rid himself of the good wings, but eventually finds himself fighting those who view the wings as their ticket to fame and fortune.

Awards

Visual Achievement - Atlanta Film Festival 2009, Atlanta, GA
Special Mention - Stuttgart Festival of Animated Films 2009, Stuttgart, Germany
Best Feature-Length Film - Anifest 2009, Trebon, Czech Republic
Audience Award - Anifest 2009, Teplice, Czech Republic
Gold Remi Award - Worldfest Houston 2009, Houston, TX
Viewer’s Choice - Monstra Lisboa Animated Film Festival 2009, Lisbon, Portugal
Grand Prize - FantasPorto2009, Porto, Portugal
Best Screenplay - FantasPorto 2009, Porto, Portugal
Best Animated Film - Ojai Film Festival 2008, Ojai, California
Best Feature Film - CINANIMA 2008, Espinho, Portugal
Third Mention - Expotoons 2008, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Best Director - Buenos Aires Red Blood Film Festival 2008, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Best Sound Award - International Festival for Contemporary Cinema 2MORROW 2008, Moscow, Russia
EX AEQUO Award for the best full-length film in International Competition at Animadrid 2008, Madrid, Spain
Best Feature Film - New Jersey Film Festival 2008, Rutgers, NJ
Special Distinction Award - Annecy Animation Festival 2008 Annecy, France

Bioghraphy

Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Bill Plympton moved to New York City, upon graduation from Portland State University in Graphic Design. He began his career creating cartoons for publications such as New York Times, National Lampoon, Playboy and Screw.

In 1987 he was nominated for an Oscar® for his short "Your Face". After producing many shorts which appeared on MTV and Spike and Mike's, he turned his talent to features. Since 1991 he's made 9 feature films, 6 of them, "The Tune", "Mondo Plympton", "I Married A Strange Person", "Mutant Aliens", "Hair High" and "Idiots and Angels" animated features. In 2005, Bill's received another Oscar® nomination, this time for a short film "Guard Dog".

Filmography

Features:

IDIOTS and ANGELS (2008)
2008 Tribeca Film Festival, World Premiere; Annecy Animation Festival, Special Distinction Feature Film

HAIR HIGH (2004)
Best Feature Film, Animadrid; Gold Jury Prize, Best Animated Feature, Fant-Asia Festival, Montreal; Official Selections, Annecy Animation Festival, Hiroshima Animation Festival, Ottawa Animation Festival, London International Film Festival

MUTANT ALIENTS (2001)
Official Entry, Sundance Film Festival; Grand Prize for Feature Films, Annecy Animation Festival; Audience Prize, Best Feature Film, Stuttgart Animation Festival

Other features:

1998 I MARRIED A STRANGE PERSON
1997 MONDO PLYMPTON
1995 GUNS ON THE CL0CKAMAS
1994 J. LYLE
1992 THE TUNE

Shorts:

2008 Hot Dog
2007 Shuteye Hotel
2006 Guide Dog
2004 Guard Dog
2001 Eat
1990 Plymptoons
1989 How to Kiss
1989 25 Ways to Quit Smoking
1988 One of Those Days

Career Highlights:

1987 1st Oscar® Nomination for Short Animation "Your Face"
2001 Grand Prize for Short Films, Cannes Film Festival Critics' Week
2005 2nd Oscar® Nomination for Short Animation "Guard Dog"
2006 Winsor McCay Award; Annie Awards by ASIFA Hollywood
2006 Special Career Award - Fantasporto Film Festival
2008 MoCCA (Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art) - Cartoonist of the Year, MoCCA Art Festival