Day 8 TFF2015: Earth Exacts Sweet, Beautiful Revenge, One Surmises, in 'Wrapped'

Something has a stranglehold on New York City in "Wrapped." Photo from "Wrapped" Facebook page.

IT is difficult to get a straight answer out of Falko Paeper about what “Wrapped” is about as we are jawing at Spring Studios on Saturday evening, Day 4 of the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival.

In the Shorts: NY - Double Espresso section of the festival, the part-digital animation film is screening tonight, as well as Friday through Sunday (24-26 April) in its New York premiere. (See video below).

The young Berlin, Germany native is uttering something along the lines of “It’s set in New York” and “You have to see it.”

And so do you, Dear Reader, for “Wrapped” is a piece of impressionist art. You and your companion may be watching this film and come away with wholly different interpretations of what you have witnessed. It is apt that one of its four screenings is today, the 45th Earth Day. (http://www.earthday.org)

One inference that can be drawn from “Wrapped” — a clever, imaginative, visually stunning work — is that it ponders Earth from the perspective of a dying rat.

Possibly a casualty of an automobile crash, the creature remembers life before the monstrosity that is the concrete jungle of New York City or any metropolis teeming with people, vehicles and noise. First, the memories of a better time evolve slowly, then as the protagonist breathes its last, life whizzes by at lightning speed.

In hindsight, it becomes clear from the tête-à-tête with FP why three directors were a key ingredient in a four-minute film. At the time, however, this inquiring mind could not comprehend that the time-lapse photography that made whizzing life possible would require a director unto itself.

"Wrapped" has a director for its digital, action and time-lapse photography sequences, respectively. Aside from FP, a web designer who handled the digital piece, a director's credit goes to Roman Kaelin and Florian Wittmann. The three were film school mates. "Wrapped" is their thesis project.

One film, three simultaneous directors ... hmmm. "We worked well together," FP discloses to a skeptic. "This is our third film."

Yet another inference that can be taken from the award-winning film is that Earth is striking back. Taking vengeance because its organic matter — grass, trees, flowers — has been destroyed. In its place concrete, steel and the aforesaid pollutants.

Its revenge is swift and ferocious — a big bang — with a doomsday soundtrack.

In “Wrapped,” it is a wonderful, beautiful thing.

Films/events on today's TFF2015 schedule: "Tribeca Talks Directors Series: Ava Duvernay,” “Angry Sky,” “Misery Loves Comedy,” “Anesthesia,” “Maggie,” “Apple Store Panel: Misery Loves Comedy,” “Backtrack,” “A Courtship,” “Ashby,” “Man Up,” “Shorts: NY - Espresso,” “Dirty Weekend,” “Bare,” “Good Kill,” “Shorts: Home Improvement,” “Stranded in Canton,” “Slow West,” “Sleeping With Other People,” “Peggy Guggenheim - Art Addict,” “Cronies” and “Being 14.” (See video above).

Visit http://www.tribecafilm.com/festival to learn more about it and the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival, including tickets and schedule.