Private Project

Earthfall

In this experimental animation made of hand-made ink drawings, artist Simone Hooymans explores the transforming powers of crisis. Landscapes, cityscapes and abstract shapes are moving slowly, while growing into an avalanche threatening to destroy everything in its way. Then the destruction is a fact, but from the rubble and chaos emerges a glimpse of a new beginning: Unknown and undefined, but maybe hopeful? The film is a symbolic exploration of current global challenges, yet also an inner journey exploring how a crisis can transform you.

  • Simone Hooymans
    Director
  • Simone Hooymans
    Writer
  • Hans Pulles
    Second animator
  • Turid Rogne, Aldeles AS
    Producer
  • Building Instrument
    Music
  • Jørgen Træen Duper Studio
    Sound design
  • Norwegian Film Institute, Audio and Visual Foundation Art council Norway, West Norwegian Film Institute
    Funding
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    RAS
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Experimental
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes 32 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 1, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    145,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Norway
  • Country of Filming:
    Norway
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • BIFF
    Bergen
    Norway
    September 24, 2019
    European premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Simone Hooymans

Simone Hooymans (1974) is a visual artist born in the Netherlands, lives and works in Norway.
She is graduated from the Art academy for visual art in Arnhem (Artez) and Breda (St.Joost) in the Netherlands.
Simone Hooymans makes experimental animations based on a hand drawn world which she combines with digital animation techniques. She creates elusive yet disturbing landscapes.
The works of Hooymans manifest the effect of human relationship with nature in various ways. The source of her inspiration includes landscapes, climate change and our constant struggle to understand the world.
Hooymans creates synergies between innovative music and art with her animations and video installations. She created several animated shorts, music videos and video installations such as: "Broken Horizon", "The Quiet Beauty" , "All That Space Between Us” and most recently “Earthfall”. She has participated in a series of international group exhibitions and film festivals, like Ars Electronica in Austria, the Dutch Film Festival (NL) and the Short Film festival Grimstad in Norway, where she received in 2017 the Honorable Mention for her animation Rett Ned (Straight Down).

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Director Statement

I work with experimental animation in various ways, using hand-made ink drawings and coloration and combining them with 3D computer technique.
Making ink drawings for my animations, is very important for me, because I enjoy the physical aspect of drawing and the personal expression it can provide, without interference of complex techniques.

Within my animations I make a completely distinctive, adventurous universe; a mythological world that is timeless, mysterious and dreamy and with an ominous undertone. My twisted fairy tale universe is mostly without a clear narrative. The viewer has to draw their own conclusions.
An underlaying theme in my animation work is the retracting of nature and questioning fast urbanization and technology. I am exploring how we relate to this, through different emotional states, such as harmony and fear.