Join us as we dive into the creative world of Bulgarian-born, Montreal-based animator Alex Boya and his recent collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada – the intriguing short film, Bread Will Walk. This film beautifully merges the bizarre with the poetic, all portrayed through over 4,000 hand-drawn, ink-on-paper frames and brought to life with a blend of digital and photocollage techniques.

Set in a dystopian world on the brink of a famine, an evil corporation known as The Mill offers the solution of ‘miracle bread’. Consuming it, however, turns you into bread. When young Magret sees her brother turning into one such bread-human, she puts her life on the line to keep him safe.

As Bread Will Walk continues to receive rave reviews at the International Countryside Animafest Cyprus and gears up for the Ottawa International Animation Festival, we assume the privilege of discussing the project’s innovative concept and striking visual approach with Alex Boya.

Today we revisit Alex’s previous work like Focus (2015) and Turbine (2018) and trace his journey that eventually gave rise to his latest creation, Bread Will Walk.

“Bread Will Walk” was an organic progression, arising from my previous works and heavily influenced by my graphic novel The Mill (Chapter 1): Walking Bread, completed in 2018. The entire production journey was beautifully complemented by
the NFB’s vibrant creative environment which encouraged exploration and out-of-the-box thinking than simple execution.

Where did the intriguing concept of ‘nonviolent bread zombies’ come from?

The idea was born from a play on the dynamics of emotional dependence. The concept of our primary food source turning against us not by force, but by consuming our love, was incredibly engaging. The zombies in the film represent our own hunger for purpose and connection, only in a more bizarre sense.

Snapshot from Bread Will Walk – Courtesy of the National Film Board of Canada

Does ‘The Mill’ symbolize a specific organization or government institution?

No, The Mill goes beyond concrete institutions. It represents an overarching structural schema that we all become a part of, emphasizing the sacrifices we make in terms of relationships and clarity for productivity and beliefs.

Keeping in mind your past ventures with NFB, was ‘Bread Will Walk’ always intended to be an NFB production?

Indeed. The bond built with producer Jelena Popović and the NFB after the Turbine project, was a driving influence. NFB not only financed the film but also ideologically supported it, offering a stimulating and flexible space where experimentation was valued. The long four-year timespan for creating the film allowed for an unhurried, organic development of the story and methods.

Your film embodies a complex, multilayered visual tactic, can you share more about its development and technical composition?

Starting with thousands of ink-on-paper drawings, they were scanned and assembled in Photoshop. Different elements like skin, fabric, and structures were isolated from each frame, and photographic textures overlaid, primarily bread textures, actually made from real photo elements. Digital compositing in After Effects gave the visuals a unified, glazed finish. This approach celebrates the idea that Animation happens in the spaces between the frames, and not just on them.

We understood during the development phase, you were partially reliant on AI. What made you shift away from that direction?

AI provided an initial texture generation mechanism, especially with tools within NFB. However, AI invariably homogenizes the output, and this didn’t resonate with the emotional tone I sought. We used AI outputs as references for volume, light, and color cues which were then reworked or redrawn entirely by hand. AI served more as a tool to envision the artist’s gesture than to replace it.

Snapshot from Bread Will Walk – Courtesy of the National Film Board of Canada

You had also mentioned possibly incorporating stop-motion techniques in this project. Did any features of this approach make it to the final film?

We explored various aspects of stop-motion, including 3D-printed bread forms and the possibility of rigging real dough in a fireproof green- screen oven. Even though these ideas didn’t fully materialize, the essence of stop-motion, its texture, lighting references, and rhythm, pervade the final film, lending a tactile feel despite its 2D nature.

Who were your influences in using the continuous ‘long take’ shot method?

Inspired by Béla Tarr and stage theatre traditions, I decided to use one continuous shot to amplify the psychological effect. The experience makes the viewer feel implicated in the narrative and heightens the sensation of breathlessness, a sort of trap from which there is no escape.

Snapshot from Bread Will Walk – Courtesy of the National Film Board of Canada

Any specific reason for choosing brother-sister as the main characters?

Absolutely. A sibling bond represents love in its purest form. Magret’s mission to protect her brother, now turned into bread, translates to both personal loss and cultural decay in the digital age.

What was the reason behind Jay Baruchel voicing all characters?

Jay’s voice not only has depth but also an ability to sketch entire worlds through simple tonal oscillations. The decision for same voice for all characters wasn’t just to blur identities, but to create a sonic ecosystem, each character being an element of the same machinery.

Earlier, you talked about scoring the film to Edvard Grieg, but in the end, you chose Chopin’s Nocturne in E-Flat Major and the jazz standard All of Me. Can you discuss the music direction?

Working with Martin Floyd Cesar gave the film the emotional vulnerability it needed. Grieg felt too grandiose. With Chopin and “All of Me”, we were able to achieve a balance, and convey strong emotions as if eavesdropping through a cracked window.

Snapshot from Bread Will Walk – Courtesy of the National Film Board of Canada

How was the experience of the film’s premiere at Cannes? Did it open any doors?

The Cannes premiere was nothing short of surreal. It’s not just about the prestige but the context too; the experience of watching Bread Will Walk on a giant screen with an international audience left a lasting memory. This exposure led to various festivals expressing interest and boosted international distribution opportunities.