September Spotlight

Rosemary A.D. (After Dad)

Directed by Ethan Barrett | Animation | 9 min

Don’t let the crayon drawings fool you—our September Spotlight short film isn’t afraid to get dark. In Rosemary A.D. (After Dad), a new father struggling with depression grapples with the question, “Would my daughter be better off without me?”

Based on his lived experience, writer, director, and animator Ethan Barrett shows off his process in a fascinating behind-the-scenes video, where he reveals that he had no animation or drawing background prior to this film.  “As the world pushes more towards technology, I decided to go the other way,” he said. “Everything you see on screen was stuff that I created with my own hands.”

This darkly funny and tender story first screened in Pittsburgh at ReelAbilities 2023 and, later that year, went on to win the Jury Award for Best Animated Film at Pittsburgh Shorts.