Laura Anahory: “Anything is possible in Animation.”

What brought you to the world of Arts?

My family context was decisive. Half of my family are teachers, and the other half are artists. Since I was very young, I have been involved with the Arts, both music and drawing.

You have a degree in Communication Design and a master's degree in Sound and Image. Why did you choose this route?

That's a good question because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do professionally. I knew I wanted to explore different areas, I knew I wanted to draw and with a special focus on creating characters. I have always seen training as an essential part of a journey and, above all, I have always realized that our training should be diversified. I started with Design and then did a Postgraduate degree in Illustration and Animation, both at ESAD. Then the opportunity arose to do a Masters in Sound and Image at the School of Arts at Universidade Católica.

“My biggest interest in Animation is the transformation of the body”

Why Católica and what was the most memorable about your master's degree?

I was finishing a Postgraduate degree in Illustration and Animation when I heard about the Masters in Sound and Image at Católica. I wanted to continue exploring Animation, so it made sense to apply. Through the Masters, I discovered how to work as a team, because no one can make an entire film alone. The experience at Católica was important on many levels, but especially in this aspect of collaboration. I learned to collaborate and work as a team. I had contact with teachers who had a big impact on me and with whom I had the opportunity to build a relationship. The guidance I received from some teachers was essential. They always encouraged me to learn new things and do better.

Why are you captivated with creating stories and characters?

I grew up watching cartoons and anime. It was part of my growth and left a mark on me. I spent afternoons lying on the floor, drawing characters. Television was of enormous importance. It was on TV that I saw all those stories that inspired me. My aunt once gave me Spirited Away and it was revolutionary for me. I didn't want anything else, because those drawings told a story directly related to. For me, at the time, it was so natural, and even easy, to draw characters and imagine them in different contexts, representing others or even myself in everyday situations.

Why can animation be more interesting than reality?

Because Animation is an extension of real life. Animation always touches real life.

What area do you most enjoy exploring in Animation?

My biggest interest in Animation is the transformation of the body. For example, in real life, when pain is felt, the body does not change shape, it remains the same as it appears to others. In Animation, however, it is possible to make the body speak this pain. We can make the body contract and expand, it has expression. In Animation, the body is metamorphic. It's the area I'm most interested in exploring.

Are there no limits to expression?

There are no physical limits. Everything is possible in Animation.

“The Bird Within consists of a self-exploration of my own body and mind.”

Is creativity something you work on?

Creativity is a skill that you work on. I can't say I'm extremely creative. I have a lot to learn. However, I believe that Creativity arises from our personal experiences and from the perspectives of other artists. I cannot draw or create what I do not know.

What was the final project for your master's degree?

The film is called “The Bird Inside”. It consists of a self-exploration of my own body and mind. I was also inspired by the book The Body Does Not Forget, a work about the connection between mind and body and how the mind physically alters the body. This was the starting point for my drawings. The film is about a woman who has a bird living inside her body and she cannot deal with the animal's existence. Throughout it they interact and the woman's body changes. This project received an honourable mention in the Schools category at the 2024 World Animation Festival.

How important is this distinction to you?

It always matters, because it means that someone recognized the value of our work. After an intense year working on that film, I knew very well that someone appreciated it and that I was heading in the right direction.

Making an animated film involves a lot of drawings and drawing the same character repeatedly. How many drawings did you make for the movie The Bird Inside?

I never did the math, but my film is 6 minutes long. There are moments where for every second it was necessary about 12 drawings. We need to do the math (laughs).

A must-see animated film?

I recently saw “In This Corner of the World”, about war. How are people's lives and families affected by war? Given what we are currently living, it seems to me to be deserving of our reflection.