Cornstalk is the third short film by Russian director Anastasiia Zhakulina. It features a princess with disproportionately long legs, a worried king and a devoted queen. It also features broken statues, timid suitors and wild tangos.
In this dialogue-free short film, we follow the tragicomic journey of a young girl who cannot fit into the mould. Her pair of legs, which reach for the sky, lead her into a series of absurd situations. The king wants to marry her off, but struggles to find a suitable match. Now he is stuck with her, ready to do anything to get rid of her. With a sure and naive touch, we race from scene to scene like a galloping horse, through highly visual adventures. The black drawings on a white background exaggerate the bodies and situations, provoking laughter.
A few bursts of colour finally arrive in this previously colourless setting, offering the princess a place to stretch out. Amidst the Siamese tightrope walkers, the hunchbacked flute player, the strong man and the articulated puppet, she shines and finally finds a man to marry.
