Private Project

Bent Never Broken

A martial artist, Marcelo, strives for perfection in order to gain his mother's acceptance, but struggles to accept that he will never be good enough for her.

  • Sabrina Dias
    Director
    Production Manager and Lead Rigging Artist Tippy Topper
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes 57 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 14, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - University of Central Florida
Director Biography - Sabrina Dias

Sabrina Dias is a filmmaker from Fort Lauderdale, Florida who studied animation in the undergraduate and master’s programs at the University of Central Florida. During her time in undergrad and graduate she was the production manager and lead rigging artist on the short film “Tippy Topper” and the music video “Smile Their Watching.” She is currently working on her own personal short “Bent Never Broken” Her specialization is character art, but her professional goal is to own her own studio.

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Director Statement

Bent Never Broken is a 3D animation that discusses the effects of multidimensional perfectionism on parent-child relationships. It is targeted to all ages who have struggled with reaching perfection in pursuit of acceptance. The film deconstructs the idea that love can be earned through perfection.

Bent Never Broken is a lesson for the audience that they do not need to be perfect, or that expecting someone to be perfect takes a huge emotional toll on them. This is depicted with personal elements portrayed through world building, character building, and the visual representation of mental state. All of which illustrate the director's beliefs on perfectionism through the lens of her lived experience.