Mother's Day / Animated Short Film
—
Context
Mother’s Day is an animated short film made in 2017 by Rita Figueira and Vânia Oliveira. It was produced over the course of 3.5 months and was our Graduation Project at Escola Superior de Media Artes e Design in Porto, Portugal. This was our first short film and also our first attempt with frame-by-frame animation.
March / April (1 month) – Script, Storyboard, Character Design
April / May (1 month) – Animatic, Background Design
May / June (1 month and a half) – Animation, Sound Design, Post-Production
Based on Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy", "Mother's Day" intends to portray Hell in a contemporary and humorous way. The conflict that marks the film is the appearence of the Devil's mother, which will show a more familiar and sensitive side of the protagonist, the Devil, who seeks to prove evil and severe. Throughout the narrative, it is intended to highlight many attitudes of a mother that usually put their children through embarassing situations, such as overprotection and public displays of affection.
Synopsis
The Devil wakes up and gets ready for another typical day of work in Hell, when suddenly his routine is shaken by the sound of the doorbell, which announces the arrival of an unexpected visitor. It will turn out to be a work day different than usual, as in his daily round of inspection through Hell he will have the company of his mother.
Running Time
7'29"
Credits
Direction: Rita Figueira and Vânia Oliveira
Sound Design: Rita Figueira and Vânia Oliveira
Music: António Vieira
Voices: António Vieira, Rita Figueira
Music: António Vieira
Voices: António Vieira, Rita Figueira
Festivals
Fantasporto - Festival Internacional de Cinema do Porto
Category: Prémio Cinema Português - Escolas de Cinema - Official Selection (March 2018)
-
ZLÍN FILM FESTIVAL - Internacional Festival for Children and Youth
Category: International Competition of Student Films Zlín Dog - Official Selection (April 2018)
-
Porto Femme - Internacional Film Festival
Category: National Competition Short Films / Animation - Official Selection (April 2018)
-
MIFEC - Mostra Internacional de Filmes de Escolas de Cinema - Official Selection (May 2018)
Screenings
Curtas de Vila do Conde, Portugal (July 2017)
-
Ciclo de Cinema Imagens do Real Imaginado, Portugal (October 2017)
-
33,3 - Exposição Coletiva, Portugal (November 2017)
-
Fantasporto - Festival Internacional de Cinema do Porto, Portugal (March 2018)
-
MIFEC - Mostra Internacional de Filmes de Escolas de Cinema, Portugal (May 2018)
-
ZLÍN FILM FESTIVAL - Internacional Festival for Children and Youth, Czech Republic (May 2018)
-
Comemorações do Dia Mundial da Criança - Cinema de Animação na Blackbox, Azores (June 2018)
-
Porto Femme - Internacional Film Festival, Portugal (June 2018)
-
Porto Femme Sessions #12 (June 2018)
-
CAL - Associação Cultural (October 2018)
Awards
Prémio MIFEC Melhor Realizador / Best Director, Portugal (May 2018)
Trailer
Screenshots
Rita Figueira was in charge of:
(Character Design and Animation, which you can see here)
Devil's Mother;
Devil's Imps;
Cerberus.
(Background Design and Animation, which you can see here)
Devil's home hallway;
Interior of the Vestibule of Hell;
Elevator;
1st Circle (Limbo);
2nd Circle (Lust);
3rd Circle (Gluttony);
7th Circle (Violence);
9th Circle (Treachery)
Vânia Oliveira was in charge of:
(Character Design and Animation)
Devil;
Chauffer;
Spirits.
(Background Design and Animation)
Devil's home bedroom, bathroom and exterior;
Limousine;
Pathway to Hell;
Exterior of the Vestibule of Hell;
4th Circle (Greed);
5th Circle (Wrath);
6th Circle (Heresy);
8th Circle (Fraud).
Storyboard
Style
Some inspirational moments from films that we used as a color reference.
Princess and the Frog, 2009; The Hunchback of Notre Dame, 1996; Sleeping Beauty, 1959
