SUNDANCE 2021 PREMIERE – Alisi Telengut directs this animated short film dealing with Mongolian/Siberian ceremonies and rituals that, at the very least, isn’t exactly like a million other things you’ve seen. The Fourfold looks as though many materials were successfully and imaginatively used to make this brief snippet of life from another part of the world an aesthetically interesting & easy on the eyes sampling.

Qirima Telengut (who is perhaps related to the director if we make assumptions based on last names) narrates in Mongolian various beliefs about the land as well as how various “Paganist and Pantheist gods exist with mortals” while beautiful animated images and nicely done sound design–also by Alisi Telengut–ease the tales along.

If I’m being 100% honest I could have done without the narration for a couple reasons. First, there’s just something about narration I often find intrusive, bothersome, and almost always rather unnecessary. If it lifts out and the point of the piece still stands, then why include it?

Second, as an atheist I’m never exactly enthralled when people start rambling about what their imaginary friend–er, gods–like or require (that goes for *any & all* deities) for XYZ reasons. I understand why Telengut felt the need to include it in The Fourfold since it’s rather germane to the topic at hand, but personally I had my fill listening to people’s superstitious beliefs long ago.

I’d happily watch other works from Alisi Telengut in the future based on what I’ve seen here, though, (fingers crossed no narration next time) so don’t let my disinterest in supernatural silliness put you off from giving The Fourfold a try–at the bare minimum it’s a of a feast for the eyes.

7 out of 10 Imaginative Images