2008, USA, 82 min
Technical Data: Color /35mm/ 1.85: 1/ Dolby Digital 5.1/ Stereo DVD PAL

Directed, Written, Produced, Designed and Animated by Nina Paley
Voice Cast: Aseem Chhabra , Carrie Keranen , Nina Paley , Sanjiv Jhaveri
Composer: Todd Michaelsen

Synopsis

The Greatest Break-Up Story Ever Told' is film-maker Nina Paley's description of this hugely imaginative and entertaining re-telling of the epic Indian folk story, the Ramayana. In a vibrant blend of cultural voices, Paley weaves a rich tapestry of contemporary animation, combining the traditional tale with a modern day narrative, concerning herself, and the break-up of her marriage. With the stories of Sita, the wife of Rama, who is kidnapped by the evil King of Sri Lanka, to Paley's own experience of being dumped via email, sent from her husband while on business trip to India, 'Sita Sings The Blues' is an engaging feat of inspired technical brilliance. Combining a truly fantastical cast of flying monkeys, evil monsters, gods, goddesses, warriors, sages and even the odd winged eyeball - this expansive and joyous celebration of the traditional folk tales and Sita's indomitable spirit, represents the resilience and emotional strength of women everywhere.

Awards and Nominations

Berlinale, Feb ‘08 (Special Mention, Gen-14+), Germany
Annecy, June ‘08 (Cristal for best feature film), France
Avignon, June ‘08 (“Prix Tournage” for Best American Feature Film), France
Athens Int’l Film Festival, Sept ‘08 (Best Script Award), Greece
Ottawa International Animation Festival, Sept ‘08 (Honorable Mention for Best Animated Feature), Canada
Montreal's Festival du nouveau cinéma, Oct ‘08 (Grand Prix Z Télé, Grand Prize chosen by the public), Canada
Leeds International Film Festival, Nov ‘08 (Golden Owl Competition - Special Mention), UK
Asheville Film Festival, Nov ‘08 (Runner-up, Best Feature, Fiction), NC, USA
Expotoons, Oct ‘08 ("First Mention" [runner-up], Feature Films), Buenos Aires, Argentina
Starz Denver Film Festival, Nov ‘08 (Fox 31 Emerging Filmmaker Award), CO, USA
Gotham Independent Film Awards, Dec ‘08 (Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You), NYC, NY, USA
Santa Fe Film Festival, Dec ‘08 (Best Animation), NM, USA
Les Nuits Magiques, Dec ‘08 (Audience Award for Best Feature Film), Begles, France, 2008
Boulder International Film Festival, Feb ‘09 (Best Animated Film), CO, USA
Film Independent’s Spirit Awards, Feb ‘09 (Nominee, Acura Someone to Watch Award), Los Angeles, CA, USA
Fargo Film Festival, March ’09 (Ruth Landfield Award; and Honorable Mention, Best Animation), ND, USA

Bioghraphy

Nina Paley (b. 1968, USA) is a longtime veteran of syndicated comic strips, creating "Fluff" (Universal Press Syndicate), "The Hots" (King Features), and her own alternative weekly "Nina's Adventures." In 1998 she began making independent animated festival films, including the controversial yet popular environmental short, "The Stork." In 2002 Nina followed her then-husband to Trivandrum, India, where she read her first Ramayana. This inspired her first feature, Sita Sings the Blues, which she animated and produced single-handedly over the course of 5 years on a home computer. Nina teaches at Parsons School of Design in Manhattan and is a 2006 Guggenheim Fellow.

Filmography

(2002) The Wit & Wisdom of Cancer, (2002) Goddess of Fertility, (2002) Fertco, (2002) The Stork, (2001) FETCH! (2000) Pandorama, (1998) I (heart) My Cat, (1998) Luv Is..., (1998) Cancer.