Intruder Man, 2017
Stop Motion Animation, 9:45 min.
The full film is available to screen at https://sofy.tv/viewer/film/intruder-man
Intruder Man is the story of my grandmother at two distinct stages in her life. As a young home economics teacher, Jessie faces the wrath of an authoritarian superintendent who blacklists her from teaching. As an elderly woman, Alzheimer’s disease makes Jessie paranoid of an “intruder man” who haunts her apartment. Slipping back and forth between these parallel periods, Jessie maintains strength and persistence in the face of sexism, loss, and dementia.
This story is inspired by the life of my grandmother Jessie. The worksheet with handwritten text is an actual document from her personal files.
Intruder Man received First Prize at Square Lake Film & Music Festival, was nominated for the Creative Vision Award at the Altered Esthetics Film Festival, and won the Audience Award at the Altered Esthetics Film Festival.
Intruder Man
Created by Peter Bonde Becker Nelson
Animated by Peter Nelson and Matthew Johnson
Jessie played by Kira Lace Hawkins
Assistant and Superintendent played by Peter Nelson
Research assistance from Craig Nelson and Mark Nelson
Pre-production assistance from Daniel Bynum, Eileen McNulty,
Jon Tiburzi, Maddie Berger, and Madison Van Wylen
Vocal score by Peter Nelson
Instrumental score by Andrew Cannestra
Piano: Andrew Cannestra
French Horn: Delaney Breen and Cole Pettit
Cello: Mason Tacke
Recording assistance from Jeff O'Donnell and Zach Hawkins
This project is supported by a Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant, an Individual Artist Grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council, and the CURI Program at St. Olaf College funded by The Olson Endowment for Marriage and Family.
©2017 Peter Bonde Becker Nelson