A yellow umbrella that holds a lifelong story.

While visiting a home for children, a little girl meets Joseph, a boy whose only dream is to have a yellow umbrella.

This unexpected encounter awakens his memories of the past.

Inspired by true events, Umbrella is an award-winning animated short film created and produced independently at the creative studio STRATOSTORM and it is the only Brazilian animated short film qualified for the 2021 Academy Awards Consideration.

Filled with messages of hope and empathy, the animated short film Umbrella was written and directed by Helena Hilario and Mario Pece it is their duo directorial debut.

Umbrella follows Joseph’s story, a boy who lives in an orphanage and dreams of having a yellow Umbrella until he unexpectedly meets a little girl, who awakens his memories of the past.

Premiered in North America at the prestigious TRIBECA Film Festival, and before that, the film screened in Northern Ireland’s Foyle Film Festival. Umbrella was screened in the Official Selection at 19 Academy Award® Qualifying Film Festivals around the world.

“The story is inspired by heartbreaking true event that happened with my sister in the south of Brazil back in 2011,” says Director Helena Hilario. “The message of the film is empathy for others,” says Hilario and Pece. “That one can make a huge difference in the lives of others by just being kind. It makes us reflect on the importance of observing, listening, and understanding that we cannot judge people without knowing what is behind their experience. Everyone goes through situations that we can’t even imagine, so we must be kind to each other. That´s why we thought about bringing empathy and hope to this narrative. Something we need more and more. The Stratostorm team worked tirelessly and passionate about bringing this project to life, and they all loved the story because our main character, Joseph, never turns negative on the world or his life. Through the story, we find out why a simple yellow umbrella holds a lifelong fascination for him.”

ACCOLADES

ROADSHOW SCREENINGS

  • ESCAPE STUDIOS (London)
  • VFX RIO (Rio de Janeiro)
  • UNLOCK CCXP (São Paulo)

NEWS

The Team

Written and Directed by
Helena Hilario and Mario Pece

Produced by
Helena Hilario

Animation Studio
Stratostorm

  • Executive Producers: Helena Hilario, Mario Pece, Louis Lee
  • 3D Supervisor: Alan Prado
  • Art Director: Dhiego Guimarães
  • Animation Supervisor: Hannry Pschera
  • Lead Character Artists: Victor Hugo, Felipe Pardini
  • Rigging Supervisor: Danilo Pinheiro
  • Technical Director: Mario Pece
  • Concept Artists: Laura Guedes, Giovanni Pedroni
  • Storyboard: Laura Guedes, Giovanni Pedroni
  • Color Script: Murilo Justiniano
  • Graphic Designer: Lucas Araújo
  • End Credits: Cynthia Liz
  • Publicist: Steve Fisher, Alberto Pereira
  • Making of: Igor Dias, Troy Chiu, David T.W. Yu
  • Website Design: Luis Mourão, Lídia Ganhito
  • 3D Artists: Alan Prado, Dhiego Guimarães, Felipe Pardini, Samuel Simões, André Nunes, Joyce Amaral, Gabriel Escame, Douglas Giarletti
  • Camera and Layout: Dhiego Guimarães
  • Pipeline: Alan Prado, Mario Pece
  • Character Artists: Alan Prado, Samuel Simões, Douglas Giarletti
  • Lighting: Alan Prado, Dhiego Guimarães, Felipe Pardini
  • Dynamics: Alan Prado, Mario Pece, Felipe Pardini, Samuel Simões, André Nunes, Joyce Amaral, Gabriel Escame
  • Rigging: Danilo Pinheiro, Apolo Osornio, Glauber Belo, Matheus A. Silva
  • Animators: Christian Weckl, Hannry Pschera, Odair Martins, Leonidas Maciel, Daniel Oliveira
  • Additional Animation: Carlos Braz
  • Special Thanks: Elem Mery Lechinoski, José de Augustinho Hilario, Juciely Hilario, José Luiz Hilario Camargo, Marly Hilario, Helena Lechinoski, Hilario Family, Lechinoski Family, Elvira & Vincenzo Pece, Alessio & Simone Pece, Carla & Daniela Pece, Maria & Douglas Hilario, Marily Raphul, Grant Miller, Pece Family, Izzo Family, Meola Family, João Kowalski, Matteo Moriconi, Jazmin Kuan, Shad & Paula Azimi
  • Color and Finish by: Company 3
  • Senior Finishing Artist: Charles Bunnag
  • Finishing Producer: Jessica Stone
  • Post Production Executive: Kingsley Fialho
  • Account Executive: Jackie Lee
  • Original Music by : Gabriel Dib
  • Score Produced by: Luiz Augusto Buff, Vivian Aguiar Buff
  • Orchestrator: Benjamin Shirley
  • Contractor and Conductor: Peter Rotter
  • Sound Designer: James Tose
  • Re-recording Mixer: Blue Infinity Media
  • Capitol Studios:
  • Recording Engineer: Steve Genewick
  • Contrabass: Thomas Harte, Geoffrey Osika, Stephen Dress
  • Oboe: Claire Brazeau
  • Viola: Andrew Duckes, Victor de Almeida, Aaron Oltman, Carolyn Riley, Nikki Shorts
  • Cello: Jacob Braun, Paula Hockhalter, Dennis Karmazyn, Michael Kaufman
  • Clarinet: Stuart Clark
  • Violin: Serena Mc Kinney, Eun-Mee Ahn, Marisa Kuney, Kevin Connoly, Ana Landauer, Wynton Grant, Natalie Leggett, Benjamin Jacobson, Rafael Rishik, Dennis Kim, Ashoka Thiagarajan, Irina Voloshina, Josefina Vergara

In loving memory

Alberto Lechinoski, Altamiro Miguel Lechinoski, Adelino Hilario, Pedro Hilario, Vivaldina Hilario, Nicacio Bueno, Vincenzo Pece, Anna Santangelo