Film
The Water Holds Me / The Water Binds us
About
Running time
2 minutes
Country / Nationality
United Kingdom
Our Judges say:
Well done watercolour stop frame animation about wild swimming.Paul Hodgson Music Judge
Animated homage to the positive healing powers of open water.Simon Taylor
Like the water we swim in, The Water Holds Me/The Water Binds Us animates, holds and binds together our experiences of wild swimming. Based on the stories of women who dip, dive and swim in rivers, lakes and seas, it evokes many different experiences in one swim, from the anticipation of getting in cold water to the feeling of floating alone and the conviviality of bobbing together. The film celebrates the power of water to wash away pain and fear and restore and revive our relationships with the natural world and each other. It was made as a collaboration between animator Lily Mae Kroese and sociologists Dr Charlotte Bates and Dr Kates Moles at Cardiff University, working with numerous swimmers across the UK.
Sustainability Notes:
We hope that this films calls people back to the water, allowing the audience to think about the watery spaces around us and the way we live and could live alongside them. The film was made with minimal travel and minimal energy use, using traditional animated frames on recycled paper to create the film.
