By: Valerie Milano
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 11/20/2024 – It is said that some people come into our lives for a reason, others for a season. For the two characters in “Nate and John,” a heartwarming animated short that transcends language and dialogue, the duration of their friendship lasts a lifetime.
The film, directed by Jumai Yusuf comes from a story by writer/producer Michael Bickel, tells the tale of a lifelong friendship between a barber and his client. Through visually stunning animation and a deeply emotional narrative, the film captures the power of human connection and the bonds that define our lives.
Additionally, the film is a true testament to collaborative filmmaking, bringing together a diverse and talented team from around the world. Yusuf is a Nigerian filmmaker with a passion for BIPOC stories, and the production team is a multicultural mix that includes Jean Liu (UK/China) and Todd Feldman (USA), making the film a reflection of the beauty that emerges when diverse perspectives unite.
Michael Bickel and brother David collaborated on the screenplay. For Michael, it’s a labor of love that has consumed his creative spirit for the past fifteen years. David Bickel, a veteran TV writer is best known for his work on “The King of Queens.”
Michael Bickel joined The Hollywood Times recently to talk about the film, and he touched on the collaboration of artists that worked on the film, and how it reflects the universal nature of the theme of “Nate & John.”
Click below to see our exclusive interview:
“Our production team is called Unity Animation Project, and we started that with the thought that we wanted a lot of voices from all around the world involved in this because it’s a universal theme that we’re talking about,” he said. “It’s the fact that we’re all alike and we all have the need for connection.”
Bickel said the impetus behind the universality came from producer Jean Liu and our director Jumai Yusef.
“They really saw the inspiration that we wanted to do here and went with it and found all those folks who did all the hard work months and months, probably a year, and really took it upon themselves,” Bickel said. “We’re a low-budget film … one of the lowest budgets of all the films, but everybody felt so passionate about it, which shows in the final product.”
Yusef, the director, is a Nigerian immigrant with a passion for diverse storytelling. With academic roots in neurobiology (Harvard) and an MFA from USC, she seamlessly blends scientific precision with artistic creativity. Liu, a BAFTA/Pigott Scholar and graduate of USC’s Stark Producing Program, brings her unique perspective as a UK/China filmmaker specializing in portrait-style films.
The inspiration for the film, Bickel said, comes from an experience he had while selling The Yellow Pages, a job he did for a long time.
“I needed a haircut, and I stopped in at my barber,” he said. “I was not looking to have a conversation. I was looking to close my eyes for 15 minutes and let him do his thing, and I do my thing, and we’ll part ways.”
The barber had other ideas, and he started asking Bickel a few questions, and a conversation began. It turned out to be a “meaningful conversation.”
“It was a 12-minute conversation that we picked up again three months later on my next haircut, and three months later on my next haircut.” Bickel said. “I thought that was unique human-to-human connection … I had never heard that story before, so it was something I wrote 15 years ago, and I held it, and it kept resonating with me until I was able to say, ‘Let’s make it.’”
Adding to the film’s charm is the evocative score, crafted by Spanish composer Pedro Osuna (Lightyear, Thor: Love and Thunder), which amplifies the film’s emotional depth.
“We knew music was going to be a big part of it, because it’s a seven-minute film, no dialogue, and we had to get across 60 years in those seven minutes. So, we had a lot of emotional storytelling to get into that.”
The film has gained significant attention, with selections at prestigious festivals such as The American Pavilion @Cannes, Tribeca, and HollyShorts. Its eligibility for consideration at the 2025 Oscars® underscores its artistic and cultural significance.
“Nate and John” is not just a film; it’s an experience—one that celebrates the beauty of friendship and the universality of human connection, and it need not be missed.
