The Employment (2008)
"El empleo" (original title)

A man prepares and goes to work in a bizarre world, where the meaning of human workforce is taken to another level.

Director:

Santiago Grasso

Writer:

Patricio Plaza (idea)

3 wins.

Storyline

In a bizarre world, a working man is awoken by his alarm clock. He shaves, dresses and has breakfast. An unknown man holds up his mirror. Three people make up his chair and table. A woman stands, at the door, working as his coat hanger. He hails a ride and rides piggyback all the way to work. At a traffic light, a group of humans riding humans await the light to change. There are two men hanging on a pole representing traffic lights. One opens his jacket and reveals a red shirt. Then he closes his jacket, so the other man can reveal his green shirt. He puts his coat and briefcase in a locker where a woman is hanging on the locker door working as his coat hanger and briefcase holder. He takes an elevator ride up, using a human counterweight. There, he begins his work as a doormat. His boss shows up, scrapes his feet on his back and enters his office. He continues to lay there in front of an office door.

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Plot Keywords:

work | working man | no dialogue | no actors | no music | 

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Genres:

Animation | Short | Comedy | Drama

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Details

Country:

Argentina

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

June 2008 (Spain)

Also Known As:

The Employment

Company Credits

Production Co:

Opusbou

Technical Specs

Runtime:

7 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

An excellent wok of surrealism

"El Empleo" is a surrealist animated short from Argentina which takes place in a world where every single activity, even those that are supposed to be made by objects and artifacts are done by ordinary humans, who "work" playing the role of mirrors, tables and automobiles in everyday life.

Very well animated (I particularly like the stylish character design) and having an excellent atmosphere (The lack of dialogue or music accentuates the sense of "realism" of the strange world where this short takes place) "El Empleo" feels pretty much like an absurdist play, which effectively works in a short format.