Visible Mending

Directed by Samantha Moore

2024

Stitching together real-life audio and innovative stop-motion animation, Visible Mending is a new 8-minute short from filmmaker Samantha Moore.

Made at Second Home studios in Birmingham, Moore has collected sound clips from interviews with a number of knitting hobbyists and subsequently aligned these with interesting creative choices to present their personal stories.

The audio and visuals intertwine as the speaking we hear starts to parallel on-screen actions. At times demonstrating the calming nature of the pastime, but also speeding up the sometimes measured and slow-paced activity as the passionate talk sees knitted objects getting created in seconds.

There are also cues to illuminate the interviewees thoughts on relaxing into the craft as well as exploring the nature of the rhythm and pace of knitting. Moore once again uses her deft skills to personify the pursuit using a variety of cinematic techniques.

The director has also explained that interviewees are represented by a knitted or crocheted object of their choice, and the collaboration between the two certainly gives the film added life and passion.

On a purely technical level, the act of animating pre-recorded chats reminded me of Aardman’s famous Creature Comforts (1989) which was also distinctive as it juxtaposed real-life dialogue and animated creatures.

Here, the intimate stories from the personalised voices blend expertly with the images as we witness jumpers unravelling, a mathematician’s logical paperwork becoming an origami bear, whilst a discussion about patterns is brilliantly represented in hand-drawn colours.

The therapeutic nature of knitting is the short’s main thrust and the presence of small creatures from teddy bears to mice and even birds on a wire are used to show how, far from a solitary act, it’s a community activity that can tie people together.

Moore excellently balances the simplicity and complexity of the craft alongside the poignant memories shared by the narrators. A key scene towards the end presents a “healing of wounds” metaphor that’s incredibly apt and relevant to the stories we hear.

Heartfelt and profound, in the end Visible Mending is a masterfully crafted yarn where cottony characters are brought to life by Moore using a fascinating range of accomplished animation methods. And for all its furnishings, the film’s most impressive aspect is the delicate sharing of tough life lessons and a potential to comfort through soft and sensitive approaches.

★★★★★

5 / 5

Mike Sales