Neeraja Raj
Transported us to a hand-crafted galaxy in search of the meaning of life in a madcap musical featuring an eccentric ‘catstronaut’, helped us to reach for the stars through a heartwarming tale of friendship and kindness and gave us a peek into Pandora’s box…
Neeraja is a director, writer, animator and a highly imaginative and gifted storyteller. Her diverse portfolio showcases a range of techniques spanning stop-motion, puppetry, 2D and 3D animation, meaning she is uniquely positioned to select the best medium to tell authentic and emotionally captivating stories. She is able to create endlessly detailed and tactile worlds and capture heartfelt performances through carefully crafted characters.
Her NFTS short ‘Meow or Never’, a beautifully crafted stop-motion madcap musical, quickly grabbed the attention of the animation industry. The piece was shortlisted for a student BAFTA and won ‘Best Film’ at the Women in Animation 2020 Showcase, featured in a range of international animation publications and festivals. Similarly, her charming 2D animated short, ‘Stars’, which presents an uplifting story of a young boy and his dog and their attempts at spreading joy amongst unassuming passers by, has been screened by various festivals around the world.