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The Spine

2009 · 12 min
Directed by Chris Landreth · Canada · Canadian Cinema
Short filmAnimationHorror

Cast

Gordon Pinsent Alberta Watson Patrice Goodman Robert McCarrol

Credits

Written by: Chris Landreth
Music: Kirk Elliott
Editing: Yonah Lewis Jeremy Montgomery
Produced by: Steven Hoban Marcy Page

Plot

A poignant story of redemption that takes us into the relationship between a man and a woman trapped in a spiral of mutual destruction after 26 years of marriage, the Spine continues Landreth's pursuit of a twisted, beautiful and highly original visual aesthetic, using digital imagery to create characters whose physical appearances are metaphors for their unique souls.

Sinekatalog’s take

A couple trapped in a bitter long marriage appear as bodies twisted by their inner pain, in a surreal animation. Unsettling but ultimately hopeful, it is a bold example of digital character design used for emotional truth.Sinekatalog’s own editorial review – not a user or critic quote.

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Ratings

IMDb: 6.6 / 10 (242 votes)
IMDb rating and vote count from the IMDb ratings dataset (October 2026). Scores change over time.

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