Filmmaker Statement

As an artist, I’m deeply intrigued by the question of how creativity can help us find resilience when we’re at our lowest. I grew up in a family that used ritual as a way of coping with loss. "Overgrown" was inspired by an early childhood memory of hiding little objects and messages around the house when we had to leave a beloved home. It is also an homage to the resilient senior women in my life who never gave up, despite having their histories erased and their feelings and experiences ignored. Rather than feeling pity for the central character, Margo, I wanted to immerse us in her world and to experience it as she does. From the production design and animation style, to the sound design and non-dialogue approach, we took care to infuse every aspect with her unique personality and perspective. Her emotional journey is reflected in Aaron Jensen’s haunting original score, sung by Tyva Kyzy, the world’s first all-female group of Tuvan throat singers.