The River

The River is a 2009 surreal drama brickfilm by Nikolas Jaeger. It follows the story of a man who finds himself travelling down a river to an unknown destination. It was an entry to the Space, Time and Reality Contest on Bricks in Motion and was awarded with first place. It is also Nikolas Jaeger's last brickfilm.

Plot
American Union Civil War soldiers sit around a campfire. One of the soldiers wonders if they will fight tomorrow, and worries about being ambushed. The protagonist dismisses the other solider's concerns. Another solider begins to preach, reciting Genesis 3:19: "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."

In a forest, the soldiers fire upon the enemy. Trees fall, and men die. The protagonist runs, and collapses. He awakens in a slave's home and is silently greeted by a slavewoman and a minotaur. He spots a boat in the river, and gets in the boat. The boat takes the protagonist downstream, and he passes many sights: explorers, conquistadors, knights. It is night. Then it is day, and his journey continues. He floats by natives, who dance and shake. Monkeys observe the protagonist, crocodiles growl, and dinosaurs roar. It is now very bright, and the protagnoist floats alone in a sea of white.

The protagonist awakes in the forest. It's raining.

Cast

 * Leonardo Liccini as Protagonist
 * Erik Wiedenmann as Other Soldier
 * Dave Wardell as Preaching Soldier

Crew

 * Nikolas Jaeger - Director, animator, editor, music
 * Phil Sepulveda - Civil War sound effects

Reception
The film was very well received, and it got a positive review from Jordan Harris on Bricks in Motion.

Awards
The River was nominated in several categories in the 2009 Bricks in Motion Awards.


 * colspan="1" rowspan="6"|2009
 * colspan="1" rowspan="6"|Bricks in Motion Awards
 * Best Film
 * Nominated
 * Best Cinematography
 * Won
 * Best Sound Design
 * Won
 * Best Set Design
 * Nominated
 * Best Original Score
 * Won
 * Viewer's Choice
 * Won
 * Best Original Score
 * Won
 * Viewer's Choice
 * Won
 * Viewer's Choice
 * Won