Writer/director Signe Baumane spent over seven years creating this whimsical animated feature film about a young woman’s struggles with romantic relationships. Its unique look is immediately apparent: a mix of charmingly hand-crafted miniature physical sets populated by hand-drawn animated characters, with nary a touch of CGI anywhere in sight. Oh, and it’s also a musical.
Buy My Love Affair with Marriage Blu-rayWe first meet Zelma as a young girl in Latvia as she learns that love has the potential to solve all of her problems and help her navigate the drudgery of Soviet-era conformism. As she matures, she moves from one failed relationship to another, seemingly surprised that doing what’s expected of her doesn’t grant her expected results. From the old man who takes her virginity, to her lazy and eventually abusive first husband, to her second husband who is so in touch with her femininity that he’s hiding a surprising secret, she refuses to be defined by men even as she still longs to be with them.
Throughout the film, Baumane stops to explain the biochemical processes at play in Zelma’s increasing maturity, including the science of her first period and the neurotransmitters involved in falling in love. The segments are animated by a different artist without physical sets, placing them even more distinctively apart from the rest of the film. Unfortunately, they don’t really add much to the film, pumping the brakes for unnecessary school-age science explorations that seem out of place.
The musical numbers retain the principal animation style and sets, helping them feel more integrated even as they sometimes distract from the proceedings. They’re generally performed by a trio of background sirens, although Zelma also has her moments. The songs aren’t particularly memorable, but they add to the quirky charm of the film.
Baumane apparently animated the film by herself, utilizing simple pencils and paper to craft between 60-80,000 frames and going through over 600 pencils in the process. She relied on colorists to finish the pieces, freeing her to focus on pencilling. Her discarded papers also found a home in the film as papier-mâché covering the sets, furthering its hand-crafted appeal.
The Blu-ray includes a phenomenal hour-long bonus feature that is perhaps the most comprehensive deep dive into the production process I’ve ever seen. The feature is a recording of a live presentation Baumane gave to a packed theater at the University of Michigan, basically her TED Talk of how she got the film made including numerous behind-the-scenes photos. She provides no-holds-barred access to the film’s genesis, sharing her process, her financing struggles, and her team’s monumental efforts to realize her vision. The feature is fascinating even if you don’t care for the film, with Baumane proving to be an engaging and self-deprecating guide.
My Love Affair with Marriage is available on Blu-ray on Tuesday, September 10th. The film is presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, with DTS 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo soundtrack options.
