Even a Girl Could Do It: Stories of Labor, Life, and Survival

My Grandmother Is an Egg

The author’s grandmother was sold as a young girl to be raised by another family, to serve them and eventually become their daughter-in-law. This is a story of the unjust, cruel traditions that used to determine the lives of individuals. It is also a story of resilience through work. Direction Wu-Ching Chang Duration 8' Language Mandarin Chinese Country Taiwan, United Kingdom Year 2021

The Pattern

Mixing clay, object animation, cut-out and pixilation techniques, the author mediates the strong, decisive and creative character of her grandmother. Vera, a seamstress and a vet, cares for a piglet who was incidentally injured by its mother. Direction Dora Pejić Bach Duration 3' Language Croatian Country Slovenia Year 2023

The Meatseller

Selinna Ajamikoko is a Nigerian woman who travelled across the Mediterranean Sea pursuing the chance of a better life and her dream of becoming a meatseller, just as her mother was back home. Despite being exposed to a multitude of harassments and acts of violence, Selinna firmly remains the decision-maker in her life. Direction Margherita Giusti Duration 17' Language English Country Italy Year 2023

Fill3

The film is inspired by factory work and reimagines the production process. Let’s see what happens when automation turns into abstraction, the assembly line takes curves and twists, and the workers control the choreography of their own movements. Direction Anne Lucas Duration 3' Language English Country Germany Year 2022

Jonas and Lisa

Loving siblings Jonas and Lysa are forced to make difficult choices to survive. This award-winning collaboration between Brazilian animators and the NFB uses satire and caricature to explore dramatic subjects such as violence against minors, child labour exploitation and child homelessness. Direction Zabelle Côté, Daniel Schorr Duration 9' Country Canada, Brazil Year 1994

Nadirah: Coal Woman

Nadira from Tajikistan is a breadwinner, a mother and a coal miner. She works in a hazardous environment and is, in fact, raising her child as a single mother. Her husband, who left as a migrant worker, has started a new family elsewhere but still visits from time to time. The film is based on anthropological research. Direction Negar Elodie Behzadi, Kate Jessop Duration 2' Language English Country United Kingdom Year 2019

Interns

Three friends graduate with degrees in animation, share a flat, and look for jobs in the industry. While one of them lands an internship and fights the drift into corporate culture, the other two navigate the maze of platform service industries and/or unemployment. Powerpuff Girls forever! Direction Marina Donderis, Núria Poveda, Marina Cortón Duration 10' Country Spain Year 2023

Woman’s Work, lettre de Syrie

A mix of pixilation, live-action, and photography-based collage takes us into the controlled chaos of a war reporter’s mind. The film is inspired by Francesca Borri’s reporting from Syria in 2013, and the female director and actor gives the film its somewhat erratic but deeply humanistic style. Direction Chloé Kaufmann, Nolwenn Daste Duration 5' Language French Country France, Turkey Year 2015

Wildfire

She is a mother and a wife, but above all, a firefighter. This is a dreadful and fascinating job, making her fearful, tired, yet determined never to give up. It is forest fire season. She keeps fighting against the natural elements, in sync with her own nature. Direction Hugues Opter, Pierre Pinon, Nicole Stafford, Valentin Stoll, Arnaud Tribout, Shang Zhang Duration 4' Language French Country France Year 2015

Wild Summon

This profoundly meaningful “casual fantasy” is narrated by Marianne Faithful. We witness dangers, twists and turns within a she-salmon’s life cycle. A fragile creature born from her mother’s sacrifice struggles with natural enemies but also faces the most dreadful one –humans. Direction Karni Arieli, Saul Freed Duration 15' Country United Kingdom Year 2023

Distances Are Overcome

An episode in the “Radiovision” series that explores the vast Radio Belgrade archives. Animated impression of the last interview with Isidora Sekulić (1877–1958), one of the most famous Yugoslav writers, thinkers, culture critics and polyglots. Direction Jelena Milunović Duration 3' Language Serbian Country Serbia Year 2016