Suraya Raja

Animator - Director

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    © 2017 Suraya Raja

    I am an award-winning Animation Director, and a graduate of the National Film & Television School. I have also been selected for the BFI Network and BAFTA Crew 2019.

     

    The stories I tell are of the absurdity of human behaviour, the internal, and the tragicomic, sometimes influenced by my background working in psychology, homelessness and offending services, or by my day-to-day observations of human behaviour. I mix animation techniques with live action, my curiosity often leading to new and playful ideas.

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    My latest film, Don't Think of a Pink Elephant, premiered at Leicester Square Picture House and has since been showcased at over 100 international festivals (including 6 BAFTA and 4 Oscar accredited festivals). It picked up 14 awards for Best Animation or Best Director, and received several more nominations. I was really happy to be one of five film artists whose work featured as part of the exhibition, 'Herself: Girldhood in Stop-Motion Film' at the Atkinson Gallery, Santa Barbara. The exhibit ran for three months and included animation classes for girls, and facilitated discussions around mental health and #MeToo. I was invited to speak for the Royal College of Psychiatrists at their annual liaison event on my film and on mental health. Since graduating, I have been working at Aardman Animations and am now developing my own TV series. I was also a judge for ÉCU, The European Independent Film Festival 2019.

     

    I studied Visual Communications at Leeds College of Art & Design. I have worked as a freelance artist on residencies and in education, and as a puppet fabricator and model maker in commercial animation and film studios.

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    I am always excited to hear of new opportunities or potential collaborations.


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