Sita sings the copyright blues

A creative approach by an artist to deal with the often Byzantine copyright laws that hinder rather than protect art.

Sita Sings the Blues is an animated film filled with the strange and unlikely: American jazz age music provides the soundtrack to an ancient Sanskrit epic; the deeds of heroes are brought down to Earth by the nattering of shadow puppets; and a love story that's inspired generations is the backdrop to a modern tale of heartbreak.

Film critic Roger Ebert calls it enchanting.

Dancing moons, monkey musicians, a half-dozen animation styles, all the result of three years of work by Brooklyn-based cartoonist Nina Paley, who wrote, directed and produced the film.

And perhaps the strangest and most unlikely aspect of Sita Sings the Blues is that Paley is giving it away.

For free.

You can download it here.

The happy little film is actually inspired by a low point in the cartoonist's life, but there's no need to spoil the story when you can stream it live on Google.

Or watch her dazzling colours and animation techniques in high definition.

Click here to read more

Source: CBC.ca