Animated and Directed by: Illogic http://illogic.fr/portfolio/maestro/

Produced by: Bloom Pictures https://www.bloompictures.tv/portfolio/maestro/

For decades, Disney has been the de facto master of the animated animal orchestra — as seen in classics like Fantasia, The Little Mermaid, and The Lion King. However, this week’s Staff Pick Premiere, “Maestro,” from animation collective Illogic, sets out to change the tune. The film features a photo-realistic rendition of forest animals belting out songs from a Vincenzo Bellini war opera. And it’s remarkable.

Best known for their 2018 Oscar-nominated short “Garden Party,” which features impressive amphibian animation, Illogic expands their animal exploration with “Maestro” to include birds, squirrels, hedgehogs, and deer. As in their previous work, the collective continues to explore the question of what animals do when humans aren’t watching, and the animations continue to be surprising.