This term we are working to create stings for the London International Animated Festival or LIAF. This is a really exciting collaboration and I’m so thrilled that I am able to be part of it!
I decided to pitch for the animated documentary category as I’ve created documentaries before and really enjoyed the process of researching all the way to animating.
My film will be based on the amazing work of Chiara Vigo, a 68 year old master artisan.
She is from Sant’Antioco, south of Sardinia.
Today, Vigo is believed to be the last person on earth who still knows how harvest, dye and embroider sea silk into elaborate patterns that glisten like gold in the sunlight.
Sea silk was harvested to make robes for King Solomon and bracelets for Nefertiti. Its referenced on the Rosetta Stone and mentioned 45 times in the old Testament.
Here you can its most natural form in Byssus, the mucus growing from these clams. Vigo under the cover of night heads into the sea, dives over 15m down to carefully trim these fibres from the clams. Its a painstaking process, but once collected she is able to spin them into gold.
I believe this could be a very interesting topic for a short animated documentary. Vigo’s life and the work her and her ancestors have created are at a real risk of being lost to history. It would be amazing to tell even a tiny bit of her story to audiences.
Here are parts of my pitch, I’m excited to pitch next week and get some feedback on my work!