Synopsis: The Bird and the Whale is a story about a young whale struggling to find his voice, after he strays too far from his family to explore a shipwreck. He soon discovers that the shipwreck’s sole survivor is a caged songbird, and they begin a friendship to help survive the frightening situation they share. Lost at sea, with only each other to rely on, the two sensitive animals struggle to survive. This film uses paint-on-glass animation to great effect in bringing this emotional story of friendship to life.
About the Director: Carol Freeman graduated from the National Film School of Ireland in 2009, specialising in experimental animation. Since then, she has worked on various films and commercials, illustrated picture-books and taught workshops around Ireland and abroad. In 2014, she co-founded ‘Paper Panther Productions’, with the aim of creating new and innovative work in stop-motion animation and illustration. In June 2018, Carol was awarded a Silver Screen award at the Young Director Awards at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.