Heidi Kumao: Best Michigan Filmmaker at 64th AAFF

On March 31, Stamps Professor Heidi Kumao was awarded the Ann Arbor Fim Festival’s CameraMall Best Michigan Filmmaker Award for her experimental, short, animated film 35 Days.

The award, given in recognition of top Michigan talent, was selected by jurors Sabine Gruffat, Elysa Wendi, and Jeremy Speed Schwartz. 

35 Days, animated using fabric, paper cutouts, and thread, is an experimental, stop motion animation about what happens when a coalition of (Ann Arbor) strangers answers the call to locate a missing cat during the pandemic lockdown of 2020. Voicemail messages from neighbors reveal the empathy and core connection we have for our pets and each other, demonstrating how a virtual community can transcend the isolation of the pandemic. Watch the trailer for 35 Days on YouTube.

The animation was created in collaboration with multiple Stamps alumni. Animation Assistant Sophie Hullinger (BFA ​’20) and Graphics Assistant Valerie Matula (BFA ​’21) contributed to the production, and it features music by Frank Pahl (MFA ​’98). 35 Days was produced with support from The University of Michigan Office of the Vice President Research and the Arts Initiative and Vashon Island Artist’s Residency.

Don’t miss the chance to watch awards programs showcasing this year’s outstanding winners, streaming online March 30 through April 13 at 11:59pm ET.