Impossible
Journey
Client Aster
Agency Area 23
2024
Art Direction
Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. Impossible Journey is an animated short film that addresses the urgent maternal health crisis in the United States, using visual metaphors to approach the subject with the care, impact, and craft it deserves.
The film was created by a predominantly female team over a process that spanned more than a year, produced between Brazil and New York City. Each frame was meticulously printed and painted to reveal the layers of reality that the protagonist experiences throughout the story. Every aspect of the animation is built with metaphorical intent, reflecting the meaning embedded in the project as a whole.
I served as the film’s Art Director, leading concept artists, character designers, and illustrators, and occasionally contributing drawings to the project.
80%
of cases are preventable.
The Stork as a Metaphor
Using the fantastic universe of storks and their immediate connection with motherhood, the first and greatest metaphor we bring is the stork representing the female experience. The character's conception was created by many hands of female illustrators, mothers, predominantly black women.
We went through many different versions and paths, and each one contributed in some detail to the final version of our storks and their babies. Women conceiving and drawing the stork that represents them.
Scenario as a Metaphor
Each scenario was designed and constructed to represent violence suffered by black women on the real journey of motherhood. The increased risk of miscarriage, high rates of hemorrhage, lack of reception and dignified treatment, high blood pressure, unauthorized cesarean sections and so many other forms of violence. The natural forces that act against our protagonist are the metaphor for these situations that are unfortunately routine in the lives of black mothers.
43% of
black women have an increased risk of miscarriage.
Black mothers
are 2x more likely to experience post-partum hemorrhaging.
Over 20%
of black women receive unwanted C-sections.
Painting as a Metaphor
The painting is a very important narrative element and connects us with the stork’s emotions. We wanted to modify the line, texture and look throughout the stork's journey. As if we were literally deconstructing the idealization of motherhood experience, as if everything was gradually blurring and falling apart until we reached the height of chaos and the danger of reality. To do this, we made a traditional 2D animation and printed more than 3000 frames, which were then painted manually, highlighting the protagonist stork.
Credits
Direct Director YUCA | Production Company The Youth | Post-Production Company COLOSSAL
Executive Creative Director Eduardo Lubiazi and João Machado | Executive Producer Eduardo Lubiazi | Head of Production Daniel Maia
Art Direction Rosa Eduardo Studio | Art Director Eduardo Rosa | Head of Art YUCA
Animation Director YUCA and Bruno Brasil
DOP Yuri Maranhão
Producer Yasmim Uehara and Mauricio Kazu Yamashita | Post-Production Coordinator Yasmim Uehara | Post-Production Coordinator Assistant Nicole Lia Rêgo da Silva and Ana Paula Godoy | Production Coordinator Carol Cherobim
Assistant Coordinator Camila Pires and Lu Krasa | Finance Department Iza Lubiazi
Animation Director YUCA and Bruno Brasil
Screenplay by Viton Araújo and Eduardo Tavares
Editor Leonardo Salomão | Assistant Editor Victor Balestrin
Printing Studio Farbewerk Fine Art Lab | Printing producer Daniel Farbewerk
Painting Studio Ateliê 39 | Painting Artists Ana Beatriz Artigas and João Paulo de Carvalho
2D Animation Supervisor Denis Bargos, Daniella Schuarts, Bruno Brasil and André Ruivo | VFX Supervision Rodrigo Stradiotto and Diogo Gameiro | Conform and Delivery Ricardo Jug
Character Design Beatrice Bandiera
Lead Concept Artists Beatrice Bandiera and Fabio Miraglia | Lead Illustration Beatrice Bandiera, Marília Mafé, Diogo Saraiva and Bruno Rosal
Concept Artists Marília Mafé, Taíssa Maia, Che Marcheti, Ana Maria Sena, Bennê Oliveira, Camilla Muniz, Cinthia Saty,Helô Rodrigues, Fabio Miraglia, Diogo Saraiva, Bruno Rosal, Daniel Cramer, Gabriel dos Anjos, Fernando Nas, João Capoulade, Douglas Lopes, Wilson Panassi and Felipe Parucci.
Storyboard Walfrido Monteiro
Previz Animation André Ruivo 2D
Animation Carol Caporrino, Nana Siqueira, Gabriela Chamorro Diniz, Danila Ribeiro, Thalyne Chrystyna, Gabrielle Paparelli, André Ruivo, Diones Ignacio, Robson Vilalba, Anderson Omori, Gilson Júnior de Souza Bastos, Bremo, Gui Kirinus, Geovani Angelo, Carlos Yury, Gui Klein, Sid Ahearne, Alexandre Sales, Gabriel Fraga, Gabriel Chagas, Robb Reis and Denis Bargos.
Motion Graphics and VFX Animation Nana Siqueira, Hermes de Lima and Fhilipe MarmoriJanaína da Veiga
Lead Clean-Up Mateuz Fernandes
2D Compositing Gabriel Rocha, Diego Eduardo Loz, Tiago Castro, Adelir Boeira, Lucas Santiago, Jean Lamin and Alan José Dias
Clean-Up / Painting Clara Luz Carvalho Salazar, Nana Siqueira, Giovanna Jahjah, Melissa Ferreira Sartor, Renata SHP, Brenda Maryan, Taiza Nogueira, Mateuz Fernandes, Robson Vilalba, Diones Ignacio, Dudu Querubins, Ulisses Jucá, Luiz Alvares, Pedro Solano, Thallyson Silvestre, Moacyr Neto, Diogo Saraiva, Carlos Yury, Lucas Batalha, Rosinaldo Lages, Josias Bosio, Bruno Mazzilli, Leonardo Vincensi, Rafael Sinnott, Lucas Moraes, Fabio Soro, Lucas Fernandes Siqueira, Jonatas Freire da Silva Souza, Rhuan Gonçalves de Oliveira de Farias, Diego Akel and Lucas Felipe Pereira
Compositing Michel Takahashi | Colorist Erick Moraes
3D Previz Lucas Lira | 3D Animator Tiago da Silva
Still Craft Photographer Diego Cagnato
Stabilization Compositing Everton Ricardo Sabino (Tom) and Nícolas Braga de Medeiros Nicolak
Live action Director YUCA | DOP Yuri Maranhão
1st AC Jenny Desrosiers | Make-up Artist Cris Severo | Steadicam OP Emma Leavy | BB Melquan Q Ali | Sound Mixer Emily Strong | Producer Stella Bloss | Producer Livia Borjaile | PA/Driver Elijah Joseph Still | Photography Talitha Ramos
Casting Amanda Gabrielle Baia, Bruce Arturo McIntyre III, Camilla de Souza, Carla Williams, Denise Miller, Emilie Rodriguez and Sarry Nemorin
Portraits Painter Eduardo Rosa
Music Company Satélite Áudio
Music Direction Roberto Coelho, Kito Siqueira and Hurso Ambrifi | Account Fernanda Costa, Renata Schincariol, Daniel Chasin and Karen Nakamura |Music Production Roberto Coelho, Hurso Ambrifi, Thiago Colli, Koitty , Alexandre Avicena, Pedro Pelotas and Nando Diniz | Post Production and Mixing Carla Cornea, Vithor Moraes, Arthur Dossa, Andre Giannini and Esteban Romero | Production Coordinator Camila Guedes, Letícia Oliveira, Bea Vieira and Mariana Tardelli
Special Thanks, Filipe Zapelini and Cris Severo | In memory of our beloved friend Juca Salomão
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