The Debutante

8’00”, 2022

A spirited young woman persuades a hyena from London Zoo to take her place at a dreaded dinner dance being held in her honour.  Their plan requires a surprising amount of artistry and violence. The Debutante is based on a short story written by the artist Leonora Carrington, who was presented at the court of King George V and herself became a debutante in 1936.  The film is a tribute to an extraordinary artist, who’s courage, feminism and connection to the natural world are an inspiration even now. 

Technique
The film is animated with ink and paint on A6 printmaking paper, with some collage and cut-out animation, captured under a rostrum camera while the ink and paint is still wet.

Credits
Director: Elizabeth Hobbs
Producer: Abigail Addison
Key Cast: Alexa Davies, Naomi Stafford, Joanna David
Music: Hutch Demouilpied
Editor: Mark JenkinsSound Design: Fonic


The Debutante was produced by Animate Projects, with the support of the BFI, awarding funds from the National Lottery, and with thanks to the Estate of Leonora Carrington.

Awards and Selected Festivals
Grand Prix, the Golden Pegasus at the 15th International Animated Film Festival Animator 2022, PolandGrand Prize, International Competition Short Film at Bucheon International Animation Festival, 2022, South Korea
Animated Short Jury Award at SXSW 2023, USA
Melies D’Argent/Silver Melies Award for the Best European Fantastic Short Film at San Sebastian Horror and Fantasy Film Festival 2022, Spain
Lab Special Jury Prize at the 45th Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, France
Bronze Jabberwocky prize, at Etiuda & Anima 2022, Poland
Yarnspinner’s Favourite: Special Mention, at Animist Tallinn 2022, Estonia
Prix Sauvage (Wild-Untamed Award) and the Prix de la Spontanéité (Spontaneity Award) at the Paris International Animation Film Festival 2023, France
Best Short Film, British Animation Awards, 2024, UK
Shortlisted for the Animated Short Film Award at the 95th Academy Awards 2023
Vimeo Staff Pick 2024


Annecy Festival, France, 2022
15th International Animated Film Festival Animator, Poland, 2022
Insomnia International Open-Air Animation Film Festival, Russia, 2022
13th Anibar International Animation Festival, Kosovo, 2022
Guanajuato International Film Festival, Mexico, 2022 
Animist Tallinn, Estonia, 2022
7th Turku Animated Film Festival, Finland, 2022
Imaginaria, Italy, 2022
Ladies First Programme, Linoleum Animation Festival, Ukraine, 2022
Ottawa International Animation Festival, Canada, 2022 
Sydney Underground Film Festival, Australia, 2022
Viborg Animation Festival, Denmark, 2022
Fredrikstad Animation Festival, Norway, 2022
DOK Leipzig, Germany, 2022
Animatou, Switzerland, 2022
Bolton International Film Festival, United Kingdom, 2022
This Is England, France, 2022
Bucheon International Animation Festival (BIAF) in South Korea, 2022
Paris International Animation Film Festival, France, 2023
16th British Shorts Film Festival, Germany, 2023
45th Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, France, 2023
Manipulate Festival, United Kingdom, 2023
Animac, Spain, 2023
Anima 2023, Brussels, 2023
South by Southwest Film and TV Festival, USA, 2023
Tampere Film Festival, Finland, 2023
TRICKY WOMEN/TRICKY REALITIES 2023, Austria, 2023
Cardiff Animation Festival, United Kingdom, 2023
REGARD – Festival international du court métrage au Saguenay, Canada, 2023
Kaboom Animation Festival, The Netherlands, 2023
32nd Aspen Shortsfest, United States, 2023
30th Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film, Germany, 2023 
35th Filmfest Dresden, Germany,  2023
Animafest Zagreb, Croatia,  2023
Awarded a Vimeo Staff Pick, 2023

Previous

Coming soon
Next

The Flounder