Polarizing Animation Short, Ivan Li's 'Drizzle in Johnson', Now Online for a Limited Time
Animated short film 'Drizzle in Johnson' (2023) by Canadian director Ivan Li is available to watch on YouTube now for a limited time. This work by the filmmaker, visual effects artist, and self-titled "multimedia stuff maker" has presented his controversial new short at a variety of prestigious festivals, including Annecy, Animafest Zagreb, Animest Bucharest, Sitges Film Festival, and Fantastic Fest. The film is also eligible for the Canadian Screen Awards.
The 20-minute 'Drizzle in Johnson' is loosely about a scientist obsessively seeking the answers of the universe who is thrust into a mind-bending odyssey of grotesqueries and genitalia. Intentionally bizarre and visually shocking, the film has drawn polarizing reactions from critics and audiences alike and caused a stir at Annecy—where it was screened in the official competition—including walkouts during its festival screening. Without revealing too much about the work, reactions from users on Letterboxd have ranged from "the worst film I've ever seen" and "unnecessary offensive slop" to five-star reviews and "major points for being the most wild shit I've ever seen".
The Zippy Frames review for the film, within the framework of the Best Animation Shorts at Annecy list, further conveys the film's excitingly provocative content: "Extravagant, repulsive, and alluring; hideous and hilarious, Li’s film will be trashed by some and loved by others. [...] It is a provocation and – good news – it will cease shocking once the audiences stop disputing ‘good taste’ and instead critically penetrate their brains..." Meanwhile, Director's Notes included 'Drizzle in Johnson' on its Must-Catch Shorts at Annecy list, calling it a "nightmarish, nocturnal odyssey of a film".
Statement from the filmmaker
"The birth of the reader must be at the cost of the death of the Author." —Roland Barthes
'Drizzle in Johnson' was conceived as a challenge to conventional storytelling—a choice to incite discourses and invite interpretation, fully aware that its subject matter might alienate as much as it resonates. The polarized reactions, including the harshest criticisms, affirm its mission: to shatter the comfort of coherence and provoke an unfiltered confrontation between the viewer's subjectivity and the film's ambiguity. This work is not a declaration but an invitation—a canvas where meaning is co-created by the audience and the artist.
The film is available for viewing on YouTube now through 13 February 2025.
Watch 'Drizzle in Johnson' now
Want to read more free articles like this?
Keep this professional animation journalism effort relevant and updated. Become our patron
