OK
2020
By Anita Killi
Mother didn’t know
Synopsis
A young girl struggles with deep emotional troubles that seem overwhelming and insurmountable. As she navigates her inner darkness, a caring helper appears who seeks to assist her while remaining unseen and unnoticed by others.
Through the helper's gentle intervention, the girl begins to find ways to cope with her depression and life's challenges. The story explores how support can come from unexpected places and how even in the darkest moments, there are paths toward healing and hope.
The narrative unfolds as a poetic fable that reveals how understanding and compassion can help a troubled child discover her own strength to overcome seemingly impossible circumstances.
Festivals
ANIMATEKA - International Animated Film Festival
Anilogue International Animation Festival
Chicago International Children's Film Festival
Encounters Film Festival
Festival Stop Motion Montreal
FICBUEU - Festival Internacional de Curtametraxes de Bueu
Fredrikstad Animation Festival
International Animation Film Festival Hiroshima
International Woman’s Film Festival KIN
Kortfilmfestival Grimstad
Kristiansand International Children and Youth Film Festival
London International Animation Festival
New York International Children's Film Festival
Nordisk Panorama
Ottawa International Animation Film Festival
ReAnimania International Animation Film Festival of Yerevan
TIAF Tbilisi International Animation Festival
TIFF Junior - Tromsø International Children's Film Festival
27th ITFS Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film
Bilbao International Animation Community Festival
Bogotá Short Film Festival
Craft International Animation Festival
Feinaki - Beijing Animation Week
GLAS Animation Festival
Golden Apricot - Yerevan International Film Festival
Insomnia International Animation Film Festival
Jakarta Independent Film Festival
JEUNESSE TOUT COURTS! International Short Film Festival on the theme of youth
Krakow Film Festival
Melbourne International Film Festival
Minimalen Kortfilmfestival Trondheim
MONSTRA - Lisbon Animation Festival
On the Pulse' Short Film Festival
SUPERTOON International Animation And Comics Festival
TRICKY WOMEN/TRICKY REALITIES
Viborg Animation Festival
VOID International Animation Film Festival
Credits
DIRECTION & DESIGN: Anita Killi
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Marita Mayer
CONCEPT, SCRIPT & STORYBOARD: Marianne Bundgaard Nielsen, Anita Killi
ANIMATION & RIGGING: Jens Jonathan Gulliksen
SET BUILDING, SCENOGRAPHY & PUPPETS: Anne Marie Aa, Anita Killi, Liliana Świrska
PHOTOGRAPHY: Morten Skallerud (fnf)
SOUND DESIGN, FOLEY & MIX: Håkon Lammetun
MUSIC COMPOSED & PRODUCED BY: Zbigniew Preisner
VFX SUPERVISOR: Álvaro Alonso Lomba
STORYBOARD ASSISTANT: Tilda Krantz
ANIMATIC: Rike Rothe
INTERNS: Simen Fischier, Camille Bozec
PRODUCTION & ANIMATION: Trollfilm studio Dovre, Norge
PRODUCERS: Anita Killi, Marita Mayer
EDITOR: Simen Gengenbach
EDITING ASSISTANT: Maria George
COMPOSITING: Sander Saks
COLOR CORRECTION & IMAGE FINISHING: Fredrik Harreschou - Flint AS
VOICE RECORDING: Mattis Sørum, Håkon Lammetun
CAST: Alma Hoddevik Mørk, Katla Sørum
MOUNTAIN TROLL: Ivar Nergaard
POST-PRODUCTION STUDIO: Filmreaktor AS, Håkon Lammetun, Fredrik Harreschou
MUSIC:
VOCALS: Edyta Krzemień
PIANO: Dominik Wania
RECORDER: Jacek Ostaszewski
CELLO: Magdalena Pluta
GUITAR: Dmytro Holovenko
SOUND ENGINEER: Leszek Kamiński
MUSIC MIX: Leszek Kamiński, Zbigniew Preisner
SOUND ASSISTANTS: Andrzej Kaleta, Bartłomiej Kaleta
ASSISTANT COMPOSER: Urszula Kwaśnicka-Chajdecka
MUSIC RECORDED AND MIXED AT: Preisner Studio, Niepołomice, Poland
MANAGEMENT & PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: Eliza Dziedzic
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Eva Hølmebakk, Kjetil Karlsen, Katja Hellman, Gro Dahle, Berit Hoelsbrekken at Bjørkhol gård, Artist-in-Residence at Oppland fylke, Menno de Nooijer, Ingebjørg Torgersen, Marcos Valín, Inge Tenvik, Mona J. Hoel, Ingrid Tungen, Kristian Flagestad, Mona Elisabeth Rootwelt-Revheim, John Bauer, Gunnar Strøm, Ståle Stein Berg, Per Morset, Jan Bergseng, Janne K. Hansen, Manu Manuel Molina, Malo Otto Péresse, Piotr Sapegin, Ingeborg Dalheim, Ståle Lien, Arna Marie Bersaas, Toril Simonsen
AND FOR PROFESSIONAL STATEMENTS AND EXPERT HELP: Kristin Sommerseth Olsen, Guro Winsnes, Lars Ravn Øhlckers, Åse Langballe, Sofie Jinja Andersen, Hulda Skuterud, Dag Christian Helskog, Morten Günther, Lars Mehlum, Steinar Sværen
THE FILM IS FINANCED BY:
NORWEGIAN FILM INSTITUTE: with Short Film Consultants: Åse Meyer, Lars Daniel Krutzkoff Jacobsen, Financial Advisors: Ingrid Festøy Ottesen, Ravn Wikhaug
STIFTELSEN DAM: VIA MENTAL HELSE UNGDOM with Ranveig Stava
ØSTNORSK FILMSENTER: with Terje Nilsen, Arngrim Ytterhus
FOND FOR LYD OG BILDE: with Ole Richenberg, Martin Palmer
TROLLFILM AS: with Martin Killi
CROWDFUNDING VIA BIDRAG.NO: Alice Gärtner, Andreas Borkamp, Angelika Weber, Anne Köhler, Åsa Krantz, Berbe Westphalen, Berit Hoelsbrekken, Berit Rødstø, Birte Dördelman, Charles Haynes, Cindy van Schendel, Claus Gladyszak, Dinny Mayer-Vaughan, Eirik Grønmo Bjørnsen, Else-Gro Jørgensen, Falko Köhler, Françoise Böhm, Frauke Borkamp, Geir Arne Hageland, Grethe Høstaker, Gry Kristin Lia, Hanne Gulliksen, Henrike Péresse, Hugo Vieites Caamaño, Ina-Gabriele Balzer, Ingebjørg Torgersen, Inger Synnøve Killi, Johanna Qvarfordt, Karina Børven, Kathrin Aslaksby, Kristine Bergseng, Line Halvorsen, Lorenz Weber, Marcos Valín Barreiro, Maria Kluge, Natalia Malykhina, Oscar Rodríguez Cid, Reiner Böhm, Simon Fischier, Susanna Jerger, Triin Sarapik-Kivi, Ulrich Hennecke, Vanja Andrijević, Yaprak Morali, Yule von Hertell, Zacharias Grøstad.
Thanks also to anonymous supporters
TROLLFILM AS © 2020
Awards
Year
Prize
Award
Result
Mission
The animated short film Mother Didn't Know seeks to address the sensitive topic of child depression and emotional struggles through a poetic and visual narrative. By crafting a tale where a young girl receives unseen care and support, the film highlights the importance of connection, understanding, and empathy in navigating life's difficulties.
The mission of the film is to serve as a bridge for dialogue between children and adults, providing a safe space to explore complex emotions and the challenges of mental health. Through its unique animation style and heartfelt storytelling, the film aims to:
Foster awareness and understanding of childhood emotional struggles.
Encourage open discussions about mental health, particularly between children and their caregivers.
Inspire hope by demonstrating how empathy and care can help overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges.
With its artistic approach and universal themes, the film aspires to be a tool for education and healing, offering a compassionate lens through which both children and adults can better understand the nuances of emotional well-being.
About the film
Mother Didn't Know (original title: Mor visste ingenting) is a 12-minute animated short film directed by Anita Killi, completed in May 2020. The film uses the intricate technique of cut-out, multiplane animation to tell a poignant story about a young girl grappling with emotional struggles. While the girl navigates her internal challenges, an unseen helper works quietly to support her.
The film addresses the delicate topic of child depression, aiming to spark conversations between children and adults about mental health and the resilience required to face life’s difficulties. It serves as a creative medium for promoting understanding and emotional dialogue in a safe and approachable way.
Mother Didn't Know has earned critical acclaim, winning awards such as Best Short Film at the 2020 Kristiansand International Children and Youth Film Festival and recognition for its sound design and artistic achievements at festivals like Ottawa and Hiroshima.
The film Mother Didn't Know was made as a showcase or proof-of-concept to demonstrate the design and techniques that will be used in our upcoming feature film project called Christmas Survivors. Anne Marie Aa created a "making-of” photo book documenting the whole production process. This “behind the scene” picture book can be viewed here.