H-AIR:HIROSHIMA ARTIST
IN RESIDENCE

Britt Raes (1986) is a Belgian director, illustrator and scriptwriter. She has made two professional short films, CATHERINE and LUCE AND THE ROCK. Both of them went to over 200 festivals (like SXSW, BIAF, MIFF, Les Arcs,...) and won over 40 prizes each (at IndieLisboa, Berlinale, Cinequest, Tokyo Anime Award Festival…).

Currently, she’s developing several new animated projects (for adults and for kids), and working on a children’s book. She also does commissioned work: illustration, animation, and scriptwriting. As a teacher and a board member of the Flemish director’s union, she aims to share her knowledge and create connections in the audiovisual world.

She likes (dark) chocolate, hugs, sketching animals at the zoo and NVC language. When travelling, she collects rocks to paint eyes on. She hopes to reincarnate as a cat named Fluffy.

Luce in the Lovely Land

Luce in the Lovely Land is a series of adventurous and quirky tales in which Luce, a brave and curious 6-year-old, explores the world around her. When an event disrupts the daily life of her small village, Luce sets out with her best friend, a giant Rock creature, in search of answers and solutions. They travel beyond the mountains and discover there is a bigger world with many more villages and characters. All very different creatures with very different habits, wants and needs. Everyone has a lot to learn about each other!

The stories are about making connections with others, discovering the unknown and facing your fears or preconceived ideas. Luce triggers open-mindedness for herself and the others, and encourages tolerance. The series embraces kindness, through strong and colourful aesthetics and surprising stories.

Luce in the Lovely Land is adapted from the short film Luce and the Rock, which was written and directed by Britt Raes. In 2022 the film was released across 250 theaters, pre-brought by several European broadcasters (including France Télévisions, VRT-Ketnet, RTBF, etc.) and selected and awarded at numerous festivals around the world – including the Berlinale, Annecy, Clermont-Ferrand, Ottawa and Japan Prize.

The series is co-produced by Thuristar (Belgium) and La Cabane (France). As part of the development process, we’re busy writing, storyboarding, designing and looking for financing partners.

Daniel Wesseik is a visual artist, originally from Jerusalem, Israel, and currently living in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, where he works as a freelancer, an artist, and as an animation teacher.

His artistic practice intersects various disciplines, including typography, animation and illustration. His work process blends analogue and digital mediums that are shaped into hand-drawn animation and explored in 2D and 3D space. His artistic creations and films revolve around psychological and spiritual themes that are manifested in playful abstract narratives.

Wesseik holds a master's degree in Animation from the St. Joost academy (2016). He has participated in the ASF European Development Lab (2018) and was part of Playgrounds NEXT talent program (2023). His works have been presented in film festivals, museums and galleries in the Netherlands and around the world.

A Word and a Shape

"Language is not merely a collection of words; it embodies culture, tradition, and the shared history of a community. It is the essence of what defines a community" - Noam Chomsky.

During my residency, I plan to delve into the local culture, placing a particular emphasis on the Japanese language. My goal is to immerse myself in the city, observe its nuances, and translate my impressions into a series of drawings and animated frames. In my artistic practice, I specialize in creating animated loops on paper and unique artworks using an old typewriter.

Ideally, I would like to have access to a Japanese typewriter, which I can use to create a series of drawings and/or animations. My time will be divided between producing work and engaging with the new environment and its inhabitants.

Under the working title "A Word and a Shape," I aim to develop a series of artworks that intertwine language and culture. Whether it's a single word, a phrase, or a street sign, each element will capture an experience, reflecting on cultural gaps or bridges. The outcome will be a series of still images and/or loops that could potentially be culminated in an exhibition and/or a short film.

Moon Sujin is a South Korean director born in 1996.
She graduated from Korea National University of Art with a BA in Animation in 2022. Her first official film, and university graduation film, GAKJIL_Persona, was widely recognized in festivals like Annecy, Cannes and other various international film festivals. After releasing GAKJIL, she focused on illustration. With her activities expanding to participating illustration markets, she is considering highlighting the strengths in her artwork by creating consumer-friendly merchandise.
She is active in connecting with other artists and people who are interested in art, which helps her develop her creativity in depth and further broaden her audience.
She includes this idea in her upcoming film, as she always expresses her emotions honestly when she makes films. Her greatest goal is to connect with her audience and hopes that her next film will be able to achieve a special bond with her viewers.

36.5°C

36.5°C On a scorching summer day, a woman walks along a dry road, unable to let a single drop of sweat fall. As she gazes ahead, she suddenly feels dizzy and crashes into a man. He appears to be made of liquid, and as she collides with his chest, she feels as if she dived into water. As she dives into his arms, she becomes thoroughly soaked. For a brief moment, her perpetually dry world becomes moist, revealing its true colors. And so, their love begins. This film encapsulates their journey of love and separation. While the plot may revolve around ordinary romantic encounters and breakups, it aims to visually portray the emotions felt during love. This film explores immature love and all the emotions it entails, from the joy of love to the painful feeling of loss. It aims to convey that even the painful emotions, such as the sense of loss in immature relationship, are precious emotions that enrich life.