THE BOAT
“Cabramatta” is an autobiographical interactive and print comic about growing up in a community of Vietnam War refugees resettled in Australia’s heroin capital.
The Boat, 2015
‘The Boat’ an interactive graphic novel based on the acclaimed short story by Nam Le of of 16-year-old Mai, sent alone by her parents on a boat after the Fall of Saigon.
CREDITS
Writer - Nam Le
Artist - Matt Huynh
Producer - Kylie Boltin
Project design and development - Matt Smith
Sound design - Sam Petty
Client - SBS Online, SBS Australia
The project was launched in recognition of the 40th anniversary of the fall of Saigon and 40 years of Vietnamese resettlement in Australia.
Nam Le’s 49 page short story was adapted into an interactive story with 222 hand painted illustrations, 59 animated sequences, 11 photos and one video.
HONORS
World Illustration Award 2016, Editorial Professional, Winner
The Webbys, Best Individual Editorial Experience Nominee
United Nations Association of Australia Media Peace Awards, Special Commendation
5th Annual Illustrators Australia Awards, Highly Commended, Animation & Interactive
Future of Storytelling Prize, Finalist
Premier’s Multicultural Media Awards 2015, Best Use of Online and Digital Media
22nd Australian Interactive Media Industry Association Awards 2016, Best Website or Online Service, Winner
22nd Australian Interactive Media Industry Association Awards 2016, Best Use of Technology, Nominee
Adobe Cutting Edge Awards, Semifinalist Website of the Year
Favorite Website Awards, Website of the Week
Desktop Magazine's Create Awards 2015, Finalist Best Interactive Design
W³ Awards, Gold Medal for Art category
W³ Awards, Gold Medal for Experimental category
W³ Awards, Silver Medal for Video or Motion Graphics category
AWWWARDS, Website of the Day
36th International Festival of Films on Art 2018, New Narratives Official Selection, Montreal
Sheffield Documentary Festival, Official Selection
Melbourne Writers Festival, Official Selection
Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, Official Selection
Festival International de Programmes de Audiovisuels, 'Smart Fipa,' Official selection
PRESS
Matt Huynh Inks Stories of an Inherited War, Asian American Writer’s Workshops, Michelle Chen
Artist Spotlight: Matt Huynh and ‘The Boat’, Subcultured, Max Eber
The Boat: Navigating new waters of an online graphic novel, Ochre, Yingchi Wei
Matt Huynh: Drawing Between the Lines, Guernica Magazine
The Boat, Peril Magazine, Colin Ho
How A New Generation of Graphic Novels Are Portraying Migration, Global Comment
Future Comic alert: The Boat by Nam Le and Matt Huynh is Gorgeous, Comics Beat, Heidi MacDonald
““Here are Huynh’s ghostly, translucent-looking figures, accompanied by the paper trail of the very real tide of people who set out on a journey that meant unspeakable suffering and often ended in death. It’s a sobering juxtaposition of art and history...””
““Utterly fearless in its conviction, “The Boat” brings the element of humanity back to forefront...so urgent, so emotive, and so pure in its storytelling, that it is a shock to the system, a challenge to those of us who now live in a land of privilege and plenty.””
““...The word ‘read’ doesn’t really do it justice. This is a comic that you experience...‘The Boat’ combines animations, audio and words to create something that feels truly interactive and unique. ””
““Strong writing & art, innovative presentation.””
““The Vietnamese refugee experience comes to vivid, harrowing life.””
““beautiful, inventive AND moving…tells an important story in a new and moving way.””
PROCESS
Thumbnailed storyboards, sketches and inks.
Matt Huynh, Fairfield Museum, February 24- July 21 2018
NYC Studio, 2019
