Agata Zych is an animator and documentarist. She specialises in working in the educational aspect of filmmaking, where children are the main inspirations and protagonists of her works. One of her films- “Anthropocene”, created together with pre-schoolers, got worldwide recognition at film festivals. She graduated from the Faculty of Animation and Intermedia at the University of Arts in Poznań. Her film “Wander of Light”, nominated in the artistic discipline of The 43rd edition of the Maria Dokowicz Competition for the Best Master’s Degree Diploma of the University of Arts in Poznan, received special recognition from the editors of Contemporary Lynx Magazine.
Anna Halek: You have experience making documentaries that are close to you because of their authenticity. Where did your interest in animation as a form of expression come from?
Agata Zych: I aimed to create a story in which a child’s imagination would be represented and defined in a certain way while not being limited to any. Animation gave me infinite possibilities, especially regarding the visual side. I could document impressions and thoughts most naturally while setting them in an abstract space and style. All of that helped me create a story based on impressions and images.
AH: In the introduction to your project, you mentioned that you have made documentaries with children before. Where did you get the idea and courage to involve them in your work as participants, narrators and protagonists?
AZ: The most straightforward answer is that I love working with children. I am fascinated by their curiosity about the world, their honesty and spontaneity. With age, people often wear masks to fit in or define themselves. Children’s sensitivity allows us to see things from a different perspective, and it is a highly unique and authentic source of inspiration for both me as an artist and my audience. A great example of that is one of my films: “Anthropocene”, a documentary with pre-schoolers dealing with environmental issues, which became very popular at festivals worldwide, bringing smiles to the faces of children and adults alike.
AH: Depending on the narrative’s voice, we see a changing visual language, style and colour scheme. Can you say more about the aesthetics of your animation?
AZ: I was inspired to create ‘Wander of Light’ by a child’s imagination, both in the narrative and stylistic part. I deliberately used three styles that change depending on the narrative to emphasise the children’s diversity and reflect each character’s style. At the moments when the children are speaking, the patterned, illustrative scenes of the main story contrast with the lightness and frivolity of the children’s lines.
AH: Where did you get the idea to create animation in this particular form? Do you see working on the border between documentary and animation as your place in the art scene?
AZ: I have been travelling the world for the last three years, getting to know many different cultures and personalities. I am fascinated by how similar and, at the same time, unique we are. To me, ‘Wander of Light’ is the proof, literal trace and the result of finding this correlation. It is a documentary about the journey in which the title Light has as many faces as there are viewers. It is a praise of diversity, and this issue has interested me for a while. I had been looking for a form that would be authentic, sincere and, at the same time, guided by the concept of a fairy tale. I found inspiration at the source of these qualities- in kids themselves. I felt nothing but admiration for how many stories and imaginations were forming in their heads, and that’s when I knew I wanted my film to evoke such feelings.
The result is an inspiring ‘mish-mash’ with a touch of naivety, honesty and imagination, with no specific interpretation. It is a story that is understood through everyone’s personal perspective- in a primal and instinctive way, just like our little protagonists approached it. I see great potential in working on the threshold of documentary and animation. Representing the true nature of children’s ideas and imaginary worlds plays a significant role in my work.
AH: In what type of projects do you see yourself in the near future? What medium and subject matter would you most like to engage with?
AZ: I plan to look for a sponsorship for my new animation, in which I want to combine educational and artistic practices. Exploring these areas with children while keeping the creative elements of this process is something I enjoy and want to continue. I see this as essential in developing a sense of aesthetics in children’s and adults’ perspectives. In my professional future, I aim to explore new paths in educational filmmaking to convey meaningful content in a way that is not literal, though often more approachable.
