Las Nogas

Stop-motion animator Catya Plate completed the final chapter of her eco-thriller trilogy with the third short, Las Nogas. Following up on Meeting MacGuffin, we find ourselves 500 years in the future. Earth is an ecological wasteland after humans have dried up every last resource needed for life. We learned that the surviving creatures have picked through the rubble of what’s left of humanity and stitched together only the good parts, creating a humanoid creature called Homeys, who want to help restore life back to Earth.

In Las Nogas, life as we know it is on its last leg. Thankfully, a special property of the Homeys’ blood allows the creatures to convert it into water in hopes of reseeding clouds to bring back rain. At the height of their production of blood, the Homeys become sick, and soon, the last remaining water supply will dry up, spelling certain doom. The only person who can help the Homeys survive is Doctor Alma, a fluffy, brilliant Vulkeet (a cross between a parakeet and vulture) who drives a Vespa. But just as she thinks she has the answer, the health of the Homeys takes a dark turn.

“…a special property of the Homeys’ blood allows the creatures to convert it into water…”

If you saw Meeting MacGuffin, Las Nogas continues the artistic and storytelling vision of Plate. She’s no Henry Selick, as her puppet designs and production values fall several million short of the Selick standard. Though the sets and puppets are primitive in design, the filmmaker’s animation is full of love, joy, and patience.

Like its predecessors, this eco-thriller is built on a world based less on modern-day science and more on the fantastical visions of its creator. If you take life too seriously, you won’t find the fun in Las Nogas. If you’re open to innovative world-building and the future of human fables, this is where you want to be. Running at under 20 minutes, this is a bite worth taking.

For screening information about Las Nogas, visit Catya Plate’s official website.