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DIRECTOR
Bibi Erjavec
RUNTIME
5 Minutes
COUNTRY
Slovenia
SYNOPSIS
We find ourselves in a strange post-apocalyptic world of half-decayed skeletons. Here, flesh itself has become a rarity and possessing any is seen as both a privilege and a societal responsibility. There are none as self-sacrificing as Our Lady of Rot, both cursed and blessed with half-working lungs and just enough flesh around her mouth to still form words. The very least those with working arms can still do is provide her with enough air to speak for them.
DIRECTOR STATEMENT
Our Lady of Rot explores themes of exploitation and socioeconomic inequality through mediums of flesh, rot and breath. Our current job culture has made destroying our own bodies through overwork not only the standard, but a point of pride. At the same time, our still relatively comfortable lifestyle hinges on exploitation of the third world. It's unclear which of the two main characters we should feel more connected to.
To follow the themes of decay and overuse, I built most of the puppets and scenography from waste material. I was especially fascinated with discarded electronics – objects that would be inconceivable treasures to our pre-industrial ancestors, but aren't even worth recycling to us.
The other star of the show is microcrystalinic wax, used to create uncannily fleshy textures of puppets and replace clay as an animation material.
DIRECTOR BIO
Bibi Erjavec is a Slovenian artist and scientist. They work as a freelancer with national artist status in fields of animation, illustration and education, where they like to combine elements of science, history, grotesque and humor. They have finished a masters degree in organic chemistry (2019) and recently another one at the Academy of Fine Art and Design in Ljubljana (2024). Our Lady of Rot is their graduation film.
Currently they’re working on a new, mixed-media animated animation about the incomprehensible emptiness of the quantum world.
CAST and CREW
Director, Writer, Scenography, Puppets, Animation, Sound, and Post Production by Bibi Erjavec
Music - Gašper Muženič
Mentorship - Špela Čadež, Milan Erič, and Andrej Kamnik
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