The Shadow of My Life: A Journey of Art and Healing
"The Shadow of My Life" tells the poignant story of Hanna, an artist who emigrates to Canada and finds herself battling depression and a sense of disorientation in her new environment. Determined to rediscover her passion, Hanna reaches into the lives and works of other artists for inspiration. Through her art, she finds solace and a renewed sense of purpose. This film captures the transformative power of art, illustrating how it can lift an artist from the depths of despair. Hanna's journey is a testament to the human spirit's resilience and creativity's healing power.
The film premiered at Mecal Pro, the Barcelona International Short and Animation Festival, in 2022, winning third prize in the International Competition category. "The Shadow of My Life" received sincere feedback from the audience and the jury. The jury praised the film with the following statement:
"An animation all in finesse and purified in black and white, where the content and the form meet. To illustrate her point, the director does not use any artifice but instead offers us an animation all in line and curve to be as close as possible to the feelings of her character. The Shadow of My Life is not only a film about uprooting and depression but also a film about art and hope and, paradoxically, about the fact that not everything is black or white."
Following its premiere, "The Shadow of My Life" continued its festival circuit, earning numerous awards and recognitions, including a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Animated Short Film, Best Animated Short Film at FIC AUTOR 2022 in Mexico, Best Animation (Honorable Mention) at the Amsterdam International Film Festival, and a Special Jury Mention in the International Animation Competition category at Shorts México - Mexico International Short Film Festival.
The Process
Storyboard
In frame-by-frame animation production, precision is crucial. Even a minor miscalculation in timing can result in days of extra work. Therefore, creating a detailed storyboard is an essential step. Every scene was meticulously sketched, including layout, movements, and duration. This thorough planning ensured the production team had a clear blueprint to follow, minimizing errors and streamlining the animation process.
Characters and Concept Drawings
Simultaneously casting the voice actress and running voice auditions, we began sketching and designing the movie's main characters. Below are some initial sketches and concept drawings for The Shadow of My Life.
Animation
The Shadow of My Life was created using frame-by-frame animation techniques combined with 2D digital animation. The film is black and white, except for one monochrome scene.
The animation process is labour-intensive, requiring artists to draw or paint 12 frames for every second of animation – equating to 720 frames for every minute of film. In total, the film comprises over 10,000 frames. Each frame differs slightly from the last, creating the illusion of movement when projected in sequence.
Hanna and Sayeh in "The Shadow of My Life" by Hajar Moradi
Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann in "Persona" by Ingmar Bergman
Editing and Post-Production
Editing is the final step before moving to post-production, ensuring that the animation flows seamlessly and the story is coherently told.
Music Score
We collaborated with the talented musician Barzin Hosseini-Rad, who crafted an evocative score for The Shadow of My Life. The music enhances the film's emotional depth, capturing feelings of suspense, isolation, depression, and moments of hope and redemption, complementing the film's abstract emotional landscape.
Barzin Hosseini-Rad, David Hermiston, and Hajar Moradi
Director's Statement
The Shadow of My Life is a deeply personal film that explores the struggles of depression, especially among immigrants adjusting to new environments. The film delves into how depression can stem from past traumas, present uncertainties, and future anxieties. Through Hanna's story, the film demonstrates the powerful role of art in healing and finding inspiration. The narrative follows an artist's journey from the darkness of depression to rediscovering beauty and inspiration through the works of other artists who have faced similar battles. This film is a tribute to art's healing power and the human spirit's resilience.
The film also honours nine artists who have inspired me in my battle with depression, with Vincent van Gogh serving as the main inspiration for Hanna. Sharing personal stories of struggle can be therapeutic and help others in their fight against depression, and this film aims to encourage others to share their stories as well.
Screenings
Below is a list of festivals and screenings where “The Shadow of My Life” has been showcased:
- 2024 | Canada, Screening at Small World Center in Toronto
- 2023 | Canadian Screen Awards | BEST ANIMATED SHORT nomination for The Shadow of My Life
- 2023 | Germany - FilmHaus Festival, Berlin | 3 Nominations: Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Animated Film, and won Best Animation Award
- 2023 | Netherlands – International Film Festival The Hague | Official Selection for The Shadow of My Life
- 2023 | Colombia, Internacional de Cine de Villa de Leyva | Official Selection for The Shadow of My Life
- 2022 | México – Author's International Film Festival / FIC AUTOR, Guadalajara | Best Animated Short Film
- 2022 | Canada – Montreal International Animation Film Festival - ANIMAZE | Official Selection
- 2022 | US – Dumbo Film Festival | Official Selection (Semi-Finalist)
- 2022 | US – St. Louis International Film Festival | Official Selection
- 2022 | Netherlands – Amsterdam International Film Festival | Best Animation (Honorable Mention)
- 2022 | Colombia - Bogotá Short Film Festival / Festival de Cortos de Bogotá | Official Selection
- 2022 | México – Shorts México - Mexico International Short Film Festival | Special Jury Mention
- 2022 | México – Pixelatl International Festival | Official Selection
- 2022 | Ireland – The 34th Galway Film Fleadh | Official Selection
- 2022 | Spain – Mecal Pro, Barcelona International Short and Animation Festival | World Premiere Screening
