Influential stop-motion animators Stephen and Timothy Quay are American identical twins better known as Quay Brothers or (how Grimm) the Brothers Quay. Their artistic vision has made them well-known in stop-motion film circles for what they do: Terry Gilliam cited their 1986 film Street of Crocodiles as one of the ten best animated films of all time. Beat that!

The brothers Quay frequently cite Czech animator Jan Švankmajer as a major influence, and you can really see that coming through this beautiful short film, The Calligrapher. Enjoy. And, unless you’re five years old right now, be glad you weren’t five when you first saw it.

Are you a short film maker?

If you have a short film on YouTube, get in touch at [email protected] or nominate it below. We’d love to hear from you – maybe your film short could become our next Short Film of the Week!

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