Soul
A poetic expedition, where a wanderer looks for her soul mate, solely to find it close to her.
Date
2020
Role
Film Director
In this film, I wanted to explore the formalistic endeavour of telling a story from a characterʼs back. To be able to construct a story without the actorʼs face and its expression of emotion, but having the framing, art direction and costume design to convey the narrative.
The poetic text helps the image by guiding the character’s path. The film is divided into chapters, like a book, where the viewer wanders through each place.
This dramatic choice is punctuated by surreal and mysterious shots that complement the character’s search for her lost love, whose touch appears and disappears as if desired and not lived.
This loss, or possible loss, guides us through spaces where there is no soul. These places and nature itself are the scenarios for the development of the character, which can only reorient towards herself.
Thus, throughout the story, the absence of the other becomes an encounter with emptiness and with the character through the mirror. The lost love story is transmuted into self-love, from her back to her face.
Director, screenplay, narration and editing: Mónica Santos
DOP: Manuel Pinto Barros
Costume/fashion design: Katty Xiomara
Actress: Analícia Graça
Music composer: Pedro Marques
Hair and make-up: Marcello Nigro
Camera operator: Pedro Santasmarinas
Assistant camera: Ricardo Lúcio
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French Academy Awards
Nominated for the Césars Awards, France, 2020
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Greenwich Village Film Festival
Best Short Animation Award, USA, 2019
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Palm Springs International ShortFest
Audience Award, USA, 2019
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ADF – Autores de Fotografía Cinematográfica
Best Photography, Argentina, 2019
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Flickerfest - international Short Film Festivalm
SAE Creative Media Institute Award for Best use of Digital Technology in a Short Film, Australia, 2019
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Portuguese Cinema Academy
Sophia Awards, Best Short Film Animation, Portugal, 2019
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Monstra Festival - Portuguese Competition SPAutores
Audience Award - Portuguese Competition, Portugal, 2019
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As iFF Spring, USA
Best Cinematography, Best Animation, Best Score, USA, 2019
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LIsFE - Leiden International Short Film Experience
General Award, Netherlands, 2019
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Fastnet Film Festival
Best Original Music, Best Cinematography, Ireland, 2019
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Festival Stop Motion Montreal
Best Independent Film, Canada, 2019
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KuanDu International Animation Festival
Best Original Score, Taiwan, 2019
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Animafest - World Festival of Animated Films Zagreb
Audience Award, Croatia, 2018
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Curtas Vila do Conde International Film Festival
Public Award, Portugal, 2018
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Hiroshima International Animation Festival
Special Jury Prize, Japan, 2018
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Montpellier International Festival of Mediterranean Film
Young Jury Award, France, 2018
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Caminhos do Cinema Português
Best Animation Award, Honourable Mention From the Press, Portugal, 2018