In Her Boots
Kathrin Steinbacher, Austria
0:06:03

Hedi is experiencing strange things. While her granddaughter is visiting, she suddenly embarks on a hiking journey, to the deepest parts of the Alps, revealing the reason for her devoted attachment to her hiking shoes. A story about Heidi’s attempt to retain her identity and autonomy.

Kathrin Steinbacher (born in Schwarzach i. P.) is an Austrian animation director and Illustrator who finds depth in the vast variety of people, opinions and cultures by using narrative and documentary aspects as an essential component throughout her work, exploring it through different forms and mediums. During her years of experimentation her preferred way of telling stories has fallen on animation and narrative illustration. Motivated by discussing difficult topics and raising awareness, she often uses observation to draw, and later bring it to life, by having a strong focus on design and characters. Her narratives are often inspired by personal experiences. Kathrin graduated with first class honours in Illustration Animation (BA) at Kingston University in London in 2017 and in Animation (MA) at the Royal College of Art in 2019. Her films “The Woman Who Turns Into A Castle “Freedom” have been screened at International Festival around the world.

Comment from the Jury:

The animation In Her Boots moved the jury for its compassionate portrayal of Alzheimer’s and its stunning visual qualities.  As viewers, we witness the realities of the one who is affected by the condition and their caretaker. The everyday vacillates between being comedic and troubling as the grand-mothers psychosis state increases, which creates a profound narrative that is bitter-sweet. The present and the past collide, transporting the audience at the heart of the main characters inner journeys.