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Rearranging Skin

Synopsis

The documentary tells the story of how Divya Anantharaman, a visionary, Brooklyn-based taxidermist and queer woman of color, is transforming a once bloody and violent practice into a beautiful, ecological, and humane work of art. A “cabinet of curiosities” in its own right, the film is ultimately a call to action: to remake the world with creativity and care, righting the wrongs of the past one loving, skillful stitch at a time.

Review

5/5
A documentary that delves into the art of taxidermy.
Directed by Elizabeth Myer, ‘Rearranging Skin’ is a short documentary film that delves into the peculiar world of taxidermy – the act of preserving an animal’s deceased body. The film focuses on Divya Anantharaman, an ardent New York-based taxidermist, who educates the viewer on her devoted craftmanship and compassion. The documentary also explores the deep history of the artistry and the basic process of preservation.

The 10-minute film opens with an introduction to Divya and the misconceptions surrounding her occupation – most notably animal cruelty. Divya is leading by example in her field, focusing on ethically sourced animals who have deceased naturally and from a domestic/zoological setting. Divya believes that taxidermy projects a sense of wonder and beauty, which will hopefully lead to a wider affection and appreciation towards wildlife – especially amidst the global urgency to protect.

Rearranging Skin Short Documentary about Taxidermy e1669675080399
Elizabeth Myer has created a charming documentary that transforms an uninviting subject matter into marvel viewing. Divya Anantharaman in-depth knowledge is certain to captivate and entrance the audience. Divya’s love and respect for the animals she preserves is extremely endearing and deserves high praise for her proficiency and expertise. The film is delivered to a high-spec professional finish, with pleasing-the-eye cinematography, post-production and sound. Highly recommended.

Cast/Crew

Director(s): Elizabeth Myer
Cast: Divya Anantharaman
Producer(s): Maria Sheehan, Matthew Boulton
Director of Photography: Amanda Kowalski
Animation: Mariana Lopez Garcia

Specifications

Genre:
Subjects: , , , , ,
Collections: , ,
Country:
Language: English
Year: 2022
Runtime: 10 min

Recommended

4/5

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An unflinching look at gambling addiction through the eyes of recovering addicts. One Last Spin explores the environments that condition people to gamble and…
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Cast/Crew

Director(s): Elizabeth Myer
Cast: Divya Anantharaman
Producer(s): Maria Sheehan, Matthew Boulton
Director of Photography: Amanda Kowalski
Director of Photography: Mariana Lopez Garcia

Specifcations

Genre:
Subjects: , , , , ,
Collections: , ,
Country:
Language: English
Year: 2022
Runtime: 10 min

Recommended

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Mapu Kutran is a word that comes from the Mapuche language, one of Chile’s first nations people. It is a disease without known origin that attacks when the human damages nature. This disease starts when the person disrespects the environment: cultural spaces like “menoko” (source of water), “lawen” (natural…

Rearranging Skin

Synopsis

The documentary tells the story of how Divya Anantharaman, a visionary, Brooklyn-based taxidermist and queer woman of color, is transforming a once bloody and violent practice into a beautiful, ecological, and humane work of art. A “cabinet of curiosities” in its own right, the film is ultimately a call to action: to remake the world with creativity and care, righting the wrongs of the past one loving, skillful stitch at a time.

Review

A documentary that delves into the art of taxidermy.

5/5
Directed by Elizabeth Myer, ‘Rearranging Skin’ is a short documentary film that delves into the peculiar world of taxidermy – the act of preserving an animal’s deceased body. The film focuses on Divya Anantharaman, an ardent New York-based taxidermist, who educates the viewer on her devoted craftmanship and compassion. The documentary also explores the deep history of the artistry and the basic process of preservation.

The 10-minute film opens with an introduction to Divya and the misconceptions surrounding her occupation – most notably animal cruelty. Divya is leading by example in her field, focusing on ethically sourced animals who have deceased naturally and from a domestic/zoological setting. Divya believes that taxidermy projects a sense of wonder and beauty, which will hopefully lead to a wider affection and appreciation towards wildlife – especially amidst the global urgency to protect.

Rearranging Skin Short Documentary about Taxidermy e1669675080399
Elizabeth Myer has created a charming documentary that transforms an uninviting subject matter into marvel viewing. Divya Anantharaman in-depth knowledge is certain to captivate and entrance the audience. Divya’s love and respect for the animals she preserves is extremely endearing and deserves high praise for her proficiency and expertise. The film is delivered to a high-spec professional finish, with pleasing-the-eye cinematography, post-production and sound. Highly recommended.

Recommended

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