Deja Vu (2009) Short Film

Watch the short animation Deja Vu, which screened at the 2009 Santa Fe Film Festival.

James MacAlistair and his dog Chester are enjoying a perfect summer’s day in Central Park, circa 1910. As they are about to leave, they are each in turn struck by a strong feeling of déjà vu. At key moments of action, the feeling hits them again, so MacAlistair instructs Chester to do something he knows he’s never done before. After the dog executes an acrobatic flip, the feeling returns. So the man tries to do one as well. Again, the feeling returns. Finally, to break the spell, they both do a show-stopping acrobatic stunt together, and this time the déjà vu does not recur, and they start to leave. But as they do, the park environment now transforms to a painted backdrop on a vaudeville stage, and smiling they walk downstage to take a bow.