Sappho
(Brazil/2025/9′)
“Sappho” is an animated short film, openly inspired by both the process of creating animated films, and by fragments of poems by Sappho (Island of Lesbos, 600 BC), the first female author known to the Western World.
The surviving fragments of her poems reveal a connection with nature that inspires the aesthetics of the film: the characters are painted with natural inks, and the settings consist of stop-motion animation of plants and leaves collected in the park, and light, shot on a multiplane table. The narrative, in rhyming animated images, alludes to Sappho’s poetic expressions and the multiple readings of her figure throughout history.
Rosana Urbes Director
Rosana Urbes Writer
Letícia Friedrich Producer
Rosana Urbes Producer
Rosana UrbesKey Cast “Narrator“
ROSANA URBES
ROSANA URBES is a Brazilian director, screenwriter, storyboard artist, and animator.
Her directorial debut, the animated short film Guida, won over 70 awards at film festivals worldwide, including the Cristal “Jean-Luc Xiberras” Award and an Honorable Mention from the International Board of Critics (FIPRESCI Award) at the 2015 Annecy International Animation Film Festival (France). Among her many accolades, she has received five awards at Anima Mundi (Brazil), Best Traditional Animation at the World Animation Celebration (Los Angeles, USA), both the Jury’s Choice and Public’s Choice Awards for Best Film at the Havana Film Festival (Cuba), and Best Latin American Film at the Chilemonos Festival (Chile). Her work was also featured in the Best of the World showcase at the Hiroshima International Animation Festival (Japan).
Rosana’s career includes working as an animator on Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Mulan, Tarzan, The Emperor’s New Groove, and Lilo & Stitch. She has also contributed to independent animation projects, including Between Frames: The Art of Brazilian Animation, a documentary on Brazil’s animation history. A passionate advocate of traditional 2D animation, she has participated in numerous festivals and has been invited to give lectures and presentations since 2014.
She is the founder of PLANTA FILMES (formerly RR Animation), a studio dedicated to experimental and independent animation. In addition to her work in animation, Rosana is an accomplished author and illustrator, particularly in children’s literature. She has collaborated with both Brazilian and international publishers, including Macmillan’s Anthology (United Kingdom) and Studio Goodwin Sturges (United States). Known for her use of watercolor and natural elements in her illustrations, she has published over 20 books. Among them is Safo, the inspiration for the animated short film of the same name, released in 2025.
