The Debutante
A film by Elizabeth Hobbs. A spirited young woman persuades a hyena from London Zoo to take her place at a dinner dance being held in her honour.
A spirited young woman persuades a hyena from London Zoo to take her place at a dreaded dinner dance being held in her honour. Their plan requires a surprising amount of artistry and violence. The Debutante is based on a short story written by the artist Leonora Carrington, who was presented at the court of King George V and herself became a debutante in 1936. Elizabeth Hobbs celebrates Carrington’s bold and funny story with ink, paint and collage, accompanied by a score by composer Hutch Demouilpied.
The Debutante is a film by Elizabeth Hobbs, produced by Animate Projects, with the support of the BFI, awarding funds from the National Lottery, and with thanks to the Estate of Leonora Carrington.
Awards:
- Best Short Film at the British Animation Awards 2024
- Animated Short Jury Award, SXSW 2023, USA
- Grand Prix, the Golden Pegasus, the 15th International Animated Film Festival ANIMATOR 2022, Poland
- Grand Prize, International Competition Short Film, Bucheon International Animation Festival 2022, South Korea
- Melies D’Argent/Silver Melies Award for the Best European Fantastic Short Film, San Sebastian Horror and Fantasy Film Festival 2022, Spain
- Lab Special Jury Prize, the 45th Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, France
- Ellen Jury Award and the Animation Award, Aspen Shortsfest 2023, USA
- Méliès Fantlatam Award, awarded by Fantlatam – Alianza Latinoamericana de Festivales de Cine Fantastico and Méliès International Festivals Federation – MIFF
- Bronze Jabberwocky Prize, Etiuda & Anima 2022, Poland
- Best Female Participation Award, FEMINA 2023, Brazil
- Yarnspinner’s Favourite: Special Mention, Animist Tallinn 2022, Estonia
- Prix Sauvage (Wild-Untamed Award) and the Prix de la Spontanéité (Spontaneity Award), Paris International Animation Film Festival 2023, France
- Jury Award of Recognition at The Bucharest Short Film Festival 2023
- Candidate for the European Short Film at the European Film Awards 2023
- Shortlisted for the Animated Short Film Award at the 95th Academy Awards 2023
Elizabeth Hobbs is an animated filmmaker based in East London. Her films are created under a rostrum camera, and are made with many different techniques and materials; ink on bathroom tiles, typewriters, watercolour on paper, butterfly prints and rubber stamps. The films are experimental but with a clear narrative, often based on unusual and overlooked historical stories and figures. In 2019, she received a BAFTA British Short Animation nomination for I’m OK, and in 2020, she was invited to become a member of the Short Films and Feature Animation branch of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Elizabeth enjoys sharing her practice through lecturing, workshops, and collaboration.