A post-real animation about life during quarantine, vaccine hesitancy, algorithmic rabbit holes, and conspiracy theories through the lens of a people experiencing Colony Collapse Disorder.

About the Film
The animated short L’Hésitance emerged during the Covid-19 quarantine, shaped by the rise of surveillance capitalism, paranoia, white nationalism, and what is often referred to as the “post-real” era. Influenced by—and satirizing—the French sci-fi classic La Jetée (1962), directors John Jota Leaños (Xicano-Italian/Chumash) and Sean Levon Nash (Choctaw, Muskogee Creek) decided to create the film as a four-week animation exercise. Initially, L’Hésitance was not intended for public release, but after sharing it with a few friends, their enthusiastic response convinced the filmmakers to release it.

L’Hesitance has received several awards and acknowledgements at film festivals, both domestically and internationally. Notably, the film took home the “Best Animation” award at the Cult Critic Movie Awards, and was nominated for their 5th annual Jean-Luc Godard Awards. It won “Best Experimental” at the 2021 IndieFest Film Festival and also received a “Special Achievement” award at the 2021 One-Reeler Film Festival. The animation has also been nominated or acknowledged at other events, including the 2022 International Film Festival of Tokyo, the 2021 San Francisco Short Film Festival, and receiving an “Honorable Mention” at the 2022 Experimental Forum Festival in Los Angeles as well as at the Los Angeles Underground Film Festival. The film was a semi-finalist at the 2022 Experimental Film Festival in Toronto and was included in the “Moving Images: pause…restart: Video Shorts” exhibition at Cabrillo College.

Praise for L'Hesitance
“C'est manifique! You have captured the moment and shone new light on it. It's the kind of film that reaches into you and drags stuff out. I watched it a few times - it's packed and layered, demanding - it's got some 'fuck you' sauce I haven't tasted in a while and the bee dance graphic hit and lit nerves.”- Jeff Orgill, Filmmaker

“This stimulation of the hyperreal is the only signification valid in simulacra underlying future matrixes of dissidence.” - Jean Baudrillard. Philosopher

“A fascinating experience. Perhaps it should win a non-sequitur award.” - Karl Cohen, Animation Historian

“I have never seen a piece with so much depth. It made me feel a lot – the colors, the pace, the text, the messages, even the fonts! I loved it. At times, I felt the despair of individual and collective doom. I felt the character(s) elevating, transporting into a higher self, and joining the plant world. The way the many who died moved together was haunting. I look forward to seeing it many more times.” - Osa Hildalgo de la Riva, Chicana Filmmaker/Critic

I can’t stop laughing y todavía quiero llorar. The production is great - I loved the sounds and visuals! I think this will be much appreciated by all who view it.” - Cristobal Martinez, Artist

“Very cool! or, better put ... sacré bleu, tres wow! Chris Marker, estilo xicanx!” - Bill Nericcio, Chicano Critic/Theorist

Disclaimer: Nobody persons working on this film speaks French nor were they harmed trying to speak French. No French words were put in direct danger during the production and no identification with actual French persons (living or deceased), French places, French buildings, and/or French products is intended or should be inferred. No French person or entity received anything of value from this film. No one entered into any agreement in connection with the depiction of the French language.