Sisyphus (film)
1974 Hungarian animated short film
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Sisyphus is a 1974 Hungarian animated short film directed by Marcell Jankovics.[1] The 2-minute-long black and white short film has no spoken dialogue, and portrays the mythological Greek tale of Sisyphus, rolling an ever growing boulder up a hill.[1] It was purportedly inspired by the immensity of the undertaking of Jankovics' earlier 74-minute-long animated film, Johnny Corncob (1973).[2]
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Katalin Gyöpös (assistant)
company
| Sisyphus | |
|---|---|
Opening title card | |
| Directed by | Marcell Jankovics |
| Cinematography | Zoltán Bacsó |
| Edited by | János Czipauer Katalin Gyöpös (assistant) |
Production company | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 2 minutes |
| Country | Hungary |
The film was drawn almost entirely by Jankovics, with occasional help by another artist.[3] During an interview in 2005, Jankovics said they managed to produce 1,800 ink drawings in six weeks, and said he considered it his best work.[3]
Reception and legacy
The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 48th Academy Awards in 1976, losing to Bob Godfrey's Great (1975).[4]
In 2008, it was used in a commercial for the GMC Yukon Hybrid which was shown at the Super Bowl.[5]
During the 2025 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, in France, a "Tribute to Hungarian Animation" special programme was organized which included the short film, played on 9 and 14 June 2025.[6][7]
As of February 2026, the film has an IMDb rating of 7.0/10 (calculated out of 1,184 user ratings),[8] and a Letterboxd rating of 3.75/5 (calculated out of 4,336 user ratings).[9]
See also
- Johnny Corncob (1973)