Rob Munday

Inspired by the current financial crisis Greece finds itself in, Effie Pappa’s allegorical stop-motion fairytale My Stuffed Granny offers a childlike point-of-view, to a very adult situation. Winner of the McLaren award for ‘Best British Animation’ at the 2014 Edinburgh International Festival, this charming National Film and Television School film tells the story of how a Greek family struggles to survive, living off the pension of their most elderly family member.

Choosing stop-motion as their preferred medium, as director Effie, producer Miranda Ballesteros and their team decided it was the best way to capture the intricate details of Greece they felt were vital to their film’s success, My Stuffed Granny is a short of wonderful craft and powerful storytelling. Delivering its poignant tale through the eyes of it’s young protagonist Sofía, Effie’s narrative (which is based on an essay by Nina Kouletaki) uses the development of her central character to embody the struggle Greece’s younger generation currently finds themselves in. Calling for them (in an interview in the film’s press kit) to stand-up and be creative and persistent in order to build a better future for their country, My Stuffed Granny may well tell a very specific story, but its universal themes and stunning style means it’s a film we can all take something from.

Since completing My Stuffed Granny and graduating from the NFTS, Effie has been freelancing directing music promos and creating stop motion for commercial content (you can see her work on her website or Vimeo account), whilst Ballesteros is head of development of Montebello Productions.