Earthshine : Animated Short Gets A Trailer [Exclusive]

Animated short films seem to lend themselves particularly to very personal stories. Perhaps this is because they are often produced by an individual filmmaker or a small team. The short Earthshine from Starr Nathan is very much an example of this.

The short is set to debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York this month. An honest and inspiring film, it was made as Nathan battled clinical depression after being let go from her dream job at a big tech company. The film is a relatable (and true) story of one millennial's struggles with depression and low self-esteem as they deal with the insecurities that come with accepting the unknown in life.

Starr Nathan is the founder and executive producer or Starrpower Entertainment, and she has produced two live-action shorts Motions and Know Me So Well. Her next film Make You Feel will premiere at the Brooklyn Film Festival on June 5, and will also screen at San Francisco Black Film Festival, Portland Film Festival, Catalina Film Festival, New York Latino Film Festival and Black Bottom Film Festival. Through Starrpower she has worked with clients including Nike, CNBC, BBC America, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Just Women's Sports and more Earthshine is her first foray into animated film.

Starr made her directorial debut in 2022 with Know Me So Well which premiered on REVOLT TV in the United States. Her follow-up, Motions screened at various prestigious festivals including the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, the New York Latino Film Festival, and more.

"When I made Earthshine, I was clinically depressed," said Nathan. "The film was never intended to be seen by anyone; it was a therapeutic process created solely to heal myself. During this time, I was alone but not lonely - I felt the presence of God and relied on myself to navigate through disappointment and anxiety which pushed me to write the words you hear in this film."

"In my solitude, I often wondered if I was the only one with such dark thoughts. Known as the "strong" and "confident" friend, I feared judgment for feeling doubt and fear. Through this journey, I realized that being strong and confident doesn't exclude being vulnerable and sensitive. We are allowed to be both. I wish more people knew understood and could embody this."

"At first, watching Earthshine was extremely uncomfortable for me, " she adds. "But now, I see it as a source of strength, a film that can help others understand they are not alone in their dark feelings, and that it does get better."

The film is written, directed, produced and narrated by Starr Nathan. It was animated by Cody Remillard and Christian Korpi, with Bernardo Castro the composer and sound designer.

The short is screening at Tribeca on June 9, June 12, June 15 and June 16. Further festival screenings are to be announced.

We've got an exclusive look at the trailer, which you can check out below.