Film Festival Success for Benjamin Marlowe ‘09 Film, Tony.

Benjamin Marlowe’s short film Tony has been captivating audiences worldwide, earning high praise at festivals like the Byron Bay International Film Festival, Catalina Film Festival, and the Santa Fe International Film Festival.


The inspiration for Tony came from an encounter Ben had with one of his father’s criminal defense clients—the muse for the titular character, Tony. “He was a man of the West in a very classic way,” Ben recalls. “He told this story of finding gold and listening to the law of the land and it just stuck with me.” The film unfolds in two parts: the first shows Tony’s journey and his fateful decision to leave the gold where he found it, while the second part delves into the deeper, symbolic meaning of that choice.


This visually striking film is the product of a decade-long passion project, entirely hand-animated with chalk and paint. Ben began by creating a rough edit with clips from various films to establish the concept. Then came the meticulous process of rotoscoping—tracing character movements with chalk and lines—and assembling it all in After Effects. “The process was tedious, but as I worked on it, I learned a lot,” Ben explains. “One of the more rewarding parts was having a character and being able to multiply them and put them in these big, epic scenes.”


Tony has now screened at a variety of film festivals, often providing a refreshing counterpoint to the computer generated 3D animated films that are more common. “It’s interesting to see it play in a medley of all these other [Pixar-style] animations, and then all of a sudden this kind of hand-drawn thing happens, and it’s like a breath of fresh air a little bit.,” says Ben. “This is animation that you don’t get to see in these types of festivals.” Attending these festivals has also been a highlight for Ben, who values the camaraderie with other filmmakers. “Everyone’s in it together, and it’s a very bizarre kind of communal experience. It’s really supportive.”


Reflecting on his journey, Ben fondly recalls his time at Wheaton College. “It gave me a strong foundation of accountability and how hard you have to work.” He’s especially grateful for the support from his professors.

To follow Ben’s creative journey, visit his website at benmarlowe.com or find him on Instagram at @spragga505. Written by Emma Smith ’26.