At a time when even mythological epics are being reimagined through algorithms, Rachel Tom Antony, a Communication Design student at IIAD (Indian Institute of Art & Design), Delhi, drew every frame of her 14-minute animated film, Kannimanga, by hand.
Inspired by her grandmother’s burned journals in Kerala, the film explores intergenerational memory, familial bonds, and personal discovery — entirely crafted frame by frame.
Guided by Shaaz Ahmed, Associate Professor of Communication Design at IIAD, Rachel’s work reflects the institute’s growing reputation as a hub for national and international animation awards, nurturing young artists to combine craft, research, and personal storytelling.
In the age of AI, this student’s hand-drawn film wins national recognition for its human touch. At a time when even Mahabharat on Netflix is generated by algorithms, 21-year-old Rachel decided to do something radical: draw every frame by hand. When Rachel found out that her grandmother’s handwritten journals had been burned, she did not imagine the loss would become the foundation of her first animated film.
Her project, Kannimanga — a 14-minute hand-drawn film — recently won the Best Student Film Award (2D Short Film category) at the ASIFA India Awards. ASIFA India is the Indian chapter of the Association International du Film d’ Animation, a UNESCO-recognized global non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the art and craft of animation, visual effects, gaming, and related fields.
Kannimanga is a film that began with a question. Growing up between homes and histories, Rachel often wondered what it means to inherit stories that you have never been told. “My grandmother used to write journals. When I began this project, I wanted to read them for research — but they had been burned. My father simply said, ‘There are some things you shouldn’t know,’” she recalls.
That moment of silence — and secrecy — becomes the emotional spark for Kannimanga, a visual journey on family, memory and the nuances that get lost in translation across generations. Entirely hand-drawn frame by frame, Kannimanga weaves journal-style narration with muted color palettes and layered textures inspired by Kerala’s lush landscapes. Its slow, contemplative rhythm mirrors how memory unfolds — uneven, tender and sometimes painful.
Rachel explored how animation could hold space for grief and reconciliation. The film, she says, felt deeply personal—a way to preserve emotions through animation. For her, the ASIFA recognition is not just validation of craft, but of courage — of staying loyal to an old, meditative process in a world rushing toward AI-generated visuals. “It’s a handmade film.
Every line, every movement carries my hesitation and hope.” The project was developed over the past few years, and in an industry often dominated by digital perfection, Kannimanga stands out for its return to hand-drawn authenticity. It reminds us that animation, at its core, is an act of remembering — not just rendering. Through Kannimanga, Rachel joins a growing generation of young Indian designers redefining what animation can be — personal, cultural and deeply human.
Shaaz Ahmed has over a decade of experience mentoring animation projects that blend storytelling, cultural context and emotional nuance. Known for nurturing students to explore experimental techniques, Shaaz has been pivotal in helping IIAD become a hub where young animators not only create award-winning work but also push the boundaries of what Indian animation can be.
Recently, his work was featured in the exhibition After the Assembly: Constituting India (held at the SOAS University of London Gallery) where he contributed animated films that engage with the making of the Indian Constitution and the living nature of constitutional culture.
IIAD has emerged as a breeding ground for both national and international recognition in animation film design. Its students have earned accolades at prestigious platforms including the Animation Xpress ANN Awards in Mumbai and the Women’s Independent Film Festival in Los Angeles, and has been officially selected at AniMela, India’s premier international animation, VFX, gaming and XR festival.
With a pedagogy that combines technical mastery, research-driven narratives and artistic freedom, IIAD offers students a supportive ecosystem to experiment, fail and innovate — something Rachel credits as a key factor in her creative journey.
