The life of a professional athlete takes dedication, commitment and time to achieve. It has been captured in numerous films – documentary and fiction – as the journey a sportsperson endures to become the best in their field can be both heartbreaking and exhilarating. In Iulia Voitova’s student film La Plonguese (The Diver), the young animator uses cut-out animation and oil pastel painting to perfectly capture the mental and physical pain her central character goes through in order to compete.

Visually simple, but incredibly effective, Voitova employs a pared-down palette and minimalist backgrounds to bring her tale of a drained diver to screen. The four-minute short opens on the diving board, as we see our athlete stride gracefully to the centre of the screen, before launching herself into the pool. As you’re instantly immersed in her world, witnessing her dive again and again, the sound of her coach’s whistle a constant noise in the background, you soon begin to understand the impact the repetitive nature of this trainer is having on her.

The first indication we get that her body is begin to fade is when we see her climbing the ladder to the board, about 40-seconds into the short. Gone are the sleek, strong lines of her toned physique and instead we’re presented with a crumpled version of the diver, looking like all the strength has literally been ripped from her body. It’s from this moment you truly start to appreciate Voitova’s animation (if you want appreciate it even more, check out some of the making-of photos on her website). The opening 40-seconds were already impressive, the slick movements of character and camera mesmerising its audience, but when the director starts to really play with her materials, exploiting their weakness for her gain, something magical happens.

It’s apparent in those diving scenes, but then really hits home when we follow the diver to the masseuse and he repairs her crinkled body, putting it back to its toned shaped again. It’s a really clever approach from Voitova, as not only is it pleasing on the eye, it’s also deeply satisfying – especially if you’ve ever experienced the joys of having your aches and pains alleviated at the hands of trained professional. It’s not just the visuals that make La Plonguese such a joy to watch however, as Lawrence Williams’ accompanying soundtrack helps capture the film’s light and bouncy tone. From the springy score to the paper rustling effects of the diver’s tired body, the audio perfectly compliments the aesthetic, ensuring Voitova’s short is a joy from start to finish.

We’re certainly not alone in celebration the wonders of La Plonguese, as the film had an impressive festival run, playing the likes of Anima Mundi, Clermont Ferrand, Fantoche and more. Since coming online, the film has clocked up a healthy audience thanks to a well-deserved Vimeo Staff Pick and hopefully we can increase that view count by featuring it on S/W today. If you like Voitova’s work as much as we do, be sure to check out her Vimeo page for more examples.