How do we repair ourselves, even when we can’t be fully mended? How do we reconnect with our sense of self? Samantha Moore explored these questions in her BAFTA-nominated short documentary, Visible Mending, which we had the privilege of screening as part of #ASFF2023. It’s a film that invites us to listen to the experiences of people who have used knitting as a therapeutic tool, such as a software engineer re-learning the skill after a stroke and a mother who knits to process anxiety about her injured son. We are looking forward to seeing the film as part of BFI Southbank’s Stop-Motion Shorts Scene programme this August. Before that, get to know more about the director in today’s Filmmaker Spotlight! Read on to learn more about the variety of projects Sam has worked on, her journey as a self-taught animator and the first film that terrified her when she was four years old.

ASFF: Could you introduce yourself and give us a rundown of your filmmaking journey so far? 
SM: I studied Fine Art painting and English Literature at Exeter University, Fine Art film at Central Saint Martins and got a PhD in animated documentary at Loughborough University. I made my first films at art school and am self-taught in animation. My work is all in animated documentary and I have directed films about competitive sweet pea growing, HIV/AIDS in Uganda, a knicker factory in Manchester and microbiology in a collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, amongst other work. I am interested in collaborative working and my films take ages.  

ASFF: Which film sparked your love of cinema?
SM: A fear of cinema was probably engendered by Snow White, which I watched aged 4 and had to be taken out of the cinema screaming.  The love came later but I think the film that made me want to make films was Dimensions of Dialogue by Jan Svankmajer. It’s so funny but also brutal, political and clever. 

ASFF: What’s a movie you could talk about for hours?
SM: When The Day Breaks, which is directed by Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis. I must have seen it hundreds of times. There’s so much heart in that film. 

ASFF: If you could become any character in cinematic history, who would you choose? 
SM: Viola Gée from Two Sisters, (directed by Caroline Leaf). Living on an island making work sounds pretty good to be honest.  

ASFF: How do you want audiences to feel whilst watching your films?
SM: Moved. Upset. Intrigued. Tickled. 

ASFF: Which themes do you find yourself gravitating towards in your projects?
SM: Obsession. In all its forms, the laser beam of intensity is the thing that draws me in to the subjects I choose. 

ASFF: What’s a film genre you haven’t worked with before but would be interested in trying out?
SM: I’d like to play with horror. I tend to tackle stuff that scares me so it would be good to see if I could pass that on filmically. True horror is so personal though. For instance, my kids were both terrified when Tweety Pie became huge in the classic Loony Tunes cartoon. 

ASFF: What is one piece of advice you would give to budding filmmakers?
SM: Don’t be a dick. Honestly everything else just boils down to this. Have empathy, support others, mentor and mentee, stay true to yourself, work hard, be kind … but really DBAD. 

ASFF: How has screening at the Aesthetica Short Film Festival impacted you?
SM: It has been great to be part of the Aesthetica community, and to join all these insanely talented makers to swap stories, experiences and inspiration. It has opened doors for my film which I am enormously grateful for. 

ASFF: What projects are you working on at the moment? 
SM: Every time we make short films, it’s the same mountain to climb – it never gets any easier! I am planning an ambitious project next, so I want to take some time to reflect and evaluate how this one has gone and then build on it. 

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See more of Sam’s work: Instagram | Vimeo

Watch more incredible films at Aesthetica Short Film Festival 2024, which runs from Wednesday 6 November until Sunday 10 November. Tickets coming soon!

Learn more: asff.co.uk

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Stills:

1. Visible Mending (2023) dir. Samantha Moore