Animator Isabel Herguera Keeps On Dreaming ‘Sultana’s Dream,’ Imagining A Place Where Women Have All The Power
16.06.2023 - 05:49
/ variety.com
Marta Balaga Isabel Herguera’s upcoming feature debut “Sultana’s Dream” will be divided into three parts, San Sebastián-born animation artist said at Annecy. “Innocently enough, I thought it would make things much easier. It didn’t,” she deadpanned, comparing the process to walking a tightrope. “You don’t know if you are going to fall or not.” In the film, Inés, a Spanish artist living in India, stumbles upon “Sultana’s Dream” – a story by real-life feminist thinker Rokeya Hossain, written in 1905. It describes Ladyland, a place where women rule the country while men live in seclusion, responsible for household chores.
“Here, we do the logical thing. It’s men that pose a danger to women, not the other way around,” it was explained in the clip presented at the fest, to the applause of the audience.
Each part comes with its own visual style, said Herguera. While Inés’ journey is rendered in 2D, in ink and watercolor – “inspired by my own travel sketchbooks” – Rokeya’s life is depicted via shadow puppets. Finally, traditional Mehndi technique, usually associated with temporary skin decoration, was used to create Ladyland. The nearly completed animation, inspired by Hossain’s revolutionary ideas, is produced by Sultana Films, El Gatoverde Producciones, Abano Producións, UniKo and Germany’s Fabian&Fred. Basque, Spanish, English, Hindi, Bengali and Italian will be heard in the film. Herguera has been visiting India since 2005. “That’s when my life has changed,” she said. “Later, I was finishing [short] ‘Under the Pillow’ when I stepped into a gallery in New Delhi. I found this book, lying on the table. I thought: ‘This is the next film I want to make.’” “It’s mainly interesting for adults, but we hope to get as many