A Decade in the Making: The Haunting Beauty of “Return to Hairy Hill”
Some stories take a lifetime to tell, while others require a decade of meticulous craftsmanship to bring to life. For director Daniel Gies, the co-founder of Montreal’s E.D. Films, his debut independent short, Return to Hairy Hill (French: Retour à Hairy Hill), is both. After ten years in production and a successful run on the festival circuit, this hauntingly beautiful 17-minute Canadian film has finally debuted online.
A Fable Rooted in Family Truth
At its heart, the film is a “fantastical fable” inspired by the real-life history of Gies’ own grandmother. Set in the isolated wilderness of Hairy Hill, Alberta, the story follows a young girl who must suddenly shoulder the burden of caring for her three siblings. Their lives are fractured when their mother mysteriously transforms into a bird and abandons them.
As the story unfolds, the tragedy deepens. One by one, the girl’s siblings undergo their own transformations, turning into animals and disappearing into the enchanting forest. Left alone, the eldest sister faces a heart-wrenching crossroads: does she succumb to fate and join them in the wild, or does she embrace her “scarred humanity” and venture into the unknown world of cities and people to forge her own path? It is a poignant exploration of resilience, family folklore, and the courage to choose one’s own destiny.
The Art of the “Digital Paper” World
What makes Return to Hairy Hill truly breathtaking is its unique visual language. While the film may look like a delicate stop-motion production, it is entirely computer-generated. Gies, a self-taught artist, wanted to capture the “handmade” feel of a moving watercolor painting, avoiding the rigid perfection often found in digital art.
To achieve this, the team at E.D. Films developed experimental production techniques, including:
- Digital Folded Paper: Characters were designed to look like they were made of physical paper.
- Custom Tools: The production used a custom Photoshop-to-3D plugin, VR puppetry, and a game-engine export tool to bridge the gap between hand-drawn illustrations and 3D space.
- Invisible Tech: Despite using high-tech tools like Unreal Engine and cloud rendering via Conductor, Gies aimed to keep the technology “invisible” to preserve the film’s organic essence.
The result is a distinctive aesthetic where ink outlines and hand-painted trees blend seamlessly with digital shadows, creating a world that feels both fragile and enduring.
A Celebrated Achievement
Produced by Emily Paige and supported by SODEC Québec, the film has resonated deeply with audiences and critics alike. Before its online debut, it earned a long list of accolades, including the Grand Prix Guy L. Coté for Best Canadian Animation at the Sommets du cinéma d’animation and a nomination for Best Animated Short at the Canadian Screen Awards.
Return to Hairy Hill is more than just a technical feat; it is a tribute to the stories that shape us. It reminds us that even when our world transforms in ways we don’t understand, we still have the power to decide who we become.
You can now experience this masterwork of Canadian animation online and witness the culmination of a ten-year journey into the heart of the Alberta prairies.
