Simone Hooymans: In my animations I often visualize my worries about the state of the earth

Interview by Bratislava Film Festival.

A few days ago, we provided a review of the short animated music video “Farewell Glacier“. Today, we bring you an interview with the creator Simone Hooymans, who, along with music composer Terje Isungset, among others, sheds light on what recording with ice instruments looks like.

Nature doesn’t use words, but we can listen to it – Farewell Glacier

Review by Bratislava Film Festival.

A short animation by director Simone Maria Hooymans takes us to the most captivating part of nature — the heart of glaciers. It’s a place that’s rapidly transforming into water droplets, and the surroundings are succumbing to lush greenery. The Dutch creator has crafted a series of soothing visuals that gradually make us realize we are losing them. We’re losing the untouched landscapes and nature itself. Farewell Glacier premiered on June 5, 2023, on World Environment Day.

The gentle movements of the animation create an inseparable bond with sound. The scenes harmonize perfectly with the musical composition, intertwining and visualizing each other. The piece is designed as a music video for composer Terje Isungse, who composes his music purely using instruments made from natural ice. The film becomes an embodiment of visual beauty, a meditative atmosphere, and a brilliantly interconnected idea, elevating the work to a new level.

The director significantly addresses the theme of the climate crisis. The music video offers us emotional tranquility while warning us about the escalating threat of global warming. We become part of a pleasant and pure experience that we suddenly don’t want to lose. Similar feelings are evoked when experiencing nature in reality. The work can provide the viewer with relaxation, solace, and introspection.

The glaciers resemble watercolor paintings combined with sketches in their portrayal. Their fragility feels akin to pieces of paper inserted into the animation. The director’s style has a touch of book illustrations that gain a new dimension through movement. An intriguing connection is also found between the visual animation of the wind and the female voice. We observe the movement of each snowflake, ice shard, iceberg, and let ourselves be enchanted by the allure of an unknown land.

These unconventional connections are not new to the director. In her works, she often explores the relationship between the natural and human worlds through imagery and sound. Works like Talking Plants, Trees that Whisper, or Let’s Sing and Make Magic Before the Day Speaks give a voice to nature that seemed to have been lost long ago. As viewers, we finally have the opportunity to hear it.