Nick LeDonne's animated films explore his personal life stories of suicide/depression, loss/grief, and LGBTQ acceptance. Using the easy to digest medium of animation, the films can spark hard to have conversations on mental health with international audiences. Despite the darkness around each subject, all three films are linked by a common theme of family. "Hanging" the connection of a mother to her son, "Dear Dad" the rift between a father and a son, and "Reaching Out" the love from one to another.
The collective films have screened at film festivals in 30+ countries earning over a dozen awards, exhibited at prestigious mental health conferences, and continue to screen within LeDonne's public speaker program, "From Hanging to Hang ON."
The collective films have screened at film festivals in 30+ countries earning over a dozen awards, exhibited at prestigious mental health conferences, and continue to screen within LeDonne's public speaker program, "From Hanging to Hang ON."
- REACHING OUT -
RUNTIME - 10 MIN
RELEASE - FALL 2021
RELEASE - FALL 2021
Guided by the light of the stars, a young man finds a path to acceptance.
- HANGING -
RUNTIME - 5 MIN
RELEASE - 2016
RELEASE - 2016
A mother attempts to save her son from a dark luring fog of depression.
- DEAR DAD -
RUNTIME - 3 MIN
RELEASE - 2018
RELEASE - 2018
A father and son struggle to communicate; a film about dialogue without dialogue.
FILM FESTIVAL LIST
AWARDS
Best Animated Short - Catalina Film Festival. Catalina Island, California.
Best Animated Film - SOHO International Film Festival. New York City.
Best in Animation - Los Angeles Film Awards. Los Angeles, Canada.
Best Animated Short - Feedback Animation Festival. Toronto, Canada.
Best Experimental Short - Rough Cut Film Festival. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Best Animated Short - Bucks County Fever Film Fest. Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
Best Animated Short - West Chester International Film Festival. West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Best Director & Best Short Film - Red Ditch Halloween Horror Film Festival. Redditch England.
Olive Collection Winner - Art With Impact. San Francisco, California.
Animation For Adults Jury Prize - ANNY Best of Fest. New York, New York.
Award of Excellence - Accolade Global Film Competition. Los Angeles, California.
Finalist - Animated Short - 59th CINE Golden Eagle Awards. New York City, NY.
Semi-Finalist - Animated Short - 43rd Student Academy Awards. Beverly Hills, California.
OFFICIAL SELECTION
- International -
Animation Day in Cannes. Cannes, France.
Global Health Film Festival. London, England.
Ethnografilm Film Festival. Montemarte, France.
Varna World Animation Festival. Varna, Bulgaria.
Tehran International Short Film Festival. Tehran, Iran.
Sunlight International Film Festival. Moscow, Russia.
Los Angeles San Rafael Film Festival. Segovia, Spain.
International Festival of Red Cross Films. Varna, Bulgaria.
Liverpool International Film Festival. Liverpool, England.
Le Sommets du Cinema d'animation. Montreal, Canada.
15th Festival Internazionale del Cinema d'Arte. Milan, Italy.
London Golden International Film Festival. London, England.
Safe Community International Film Festival. Mashhad, Iran.
Move Me Productions: Short Film Festival. Cologne, Belgium.
AJAYU International Animated Short Film Festival. Puno, Peru.
Experimental & Subreal Animation Screening. Istanbul, Turkey.
Kinofest International Animation Festival. Bucharest, Romania.
Short Pole London International Film Festival. London, England.
FRESCO International Festival of Modern Art. Yerevan, Armenia.
Pokhara International Mountain Film Festival. Nepal, South Asia.
Mental Health Film Festival- TRIMITI Trust - Mindscope. Pune, India.
Bucheon International Animation Festival. Bucheon, South Korea.
Zoom ZBLIŻENIA International Film Festival. Jelenia Gora, Poland.
INPUT Student Documentary Film Festival. Hilversum, Netherlands.
Future Vision Asia International (Wenzhou) Exhibition. Beijing, China.
Rencontres Internationales du Documentaire de Montréal. Montreal, Quebec.
Anim!arte International Animation Festival of Brazil. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Festival Internacional de Cortometrajes y Arte sore Enfermedades. Valencia, Spain.
Our City Film Project. Cape Town, South Africa.
Sydney World Film Festival. Sydney, Australia.
Ou chy Film Awards. Lausanne, Switzerland.
IMAGE Power Arts Summit. Beijing, China.
Largo Film Awards. Geneva, Switzerland.
AM Egypt Film Festival. Cario, Egypt.
Athens Animfest. Athens, Greece.
Ibiza Cinefest. Ibiza, Spain.
OFFICIAL SELECTION
- National, USA -
Burbank International Film Festival. Burbank, California.
National Film Festival for Talent Youth. Seattle, Washington.
ANNY: Animation Nights New York. New York City, New York.
Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival. Austin, Texas.
American Documentary Film Festival. Palm Springs, California.
DRAWTASTICON 2D Animation Festival. Seattle, Washington.
Monmouth International Film Festival. Monmouth, New Jersey.
ASIFA East: Queer Animation Screening. New York City, New York.
Philadelphia Independents Film Screening. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Newtown Theater Independent Film Screening. Newtown, Pennsylvania.
Blow - UP Chicago International Art House Film Festival. Chicago, Illinois.
Cinema Diverse: Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival. Palm Springs, California.
Princeton University Film Festival. Princeton, New Jersey.
International Peace and Film Festival. Orlando, Florida.
Los Angeles Film Awards. Los Angeles, California.
Awareness Film Festival. Los Angelos, California.
Los Angeles CineFest. Los Angeles, California.
First Take Film Series. Ambler, Pennsylvania.
Trenton Film Festival. Trenton, New Jersey.
Miami Short Film Festival. Miami, Florida.
Film Quest. Utah, Provo.
SHORT LISTED
Paphos International Film Festival. Paphos, Mediterranean Island of Crypus.
Locomotion and Experimental Animation Festival. Mexico City, Mexico.
Mountain Valley Film Competition. San Francisco, California.
Something's Wild Film Festival. Durango, Colorado.
HollyShorts Film Festival. Hollywood, California.
Best Animated Film - SOHO International Film Festival. New York City.
Best in Animation - Los Angeles Film Awards. Los Angeles, Canada.
Best Animated Short - Feedback Animation Festival. Toronto, Canada.
Best Experimental Short - Rough Cut Film Festival. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Best Animated Short - Bucks County Fever Film Fest. Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
Best Animated Short - West Chester International Film Festival. West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Best Director & Best Short Film - Red Ditch Halloween Horror Film Festival. Redditch England.
Olive Collection Winner - Art With Impact. San Francisco, California.
Animation For Adults Jury Prize - ANNY Best of Fest. New York, New York.
Award of Excellence - Accolade Global Film Competition. Los Angeles, California.
Finalist - Animated Short - 59th CINE Golden Eagle Awards. New York City, NY.
Semi-Finalist - Animated Short - 43rd Student Academy Awards. Beverly Hills, California.
OFFICIAL SELECTION
- International -
Animation Day in Cannes. Cannes, France.
Global Health Film Festival. London, England.
Ethnografilm Film Festival. Montemarte, France.
Varna World Animation Festival. Varna, Bulgaria.
Tehran International Short Film Festival. Tehran, Iran.
Sunlight International Film Festival. Moscow, Russia.
Los Angeles San Rafael Film Festival. Segovia, Spain.
International Festival of Red Cross Films. Varna, Bulgaria.
Liverpool International Film Festival. Liverpool, England.
Le Sommets du Cinema d'animation. Montreal, Canada.
15th Festival Internazionale del Cinema d'Arte. Milan, Italy.
London Golden International Film Festival. London, England.
Safe Community International Film Festival. Mashhad, Iran.
Move Me Productions: Short Film Festival. Cologne, Belgium.
AJAYU International Animated Short Film Festival. Puno, Peru.
Experimental & Subreal Animation Screening. Istanbul, Turkey.
Kinofest International Animation Festival. Bucharest, Romania.
Short Pole London International Film Festival. London, England.
FRESCO International Festival of Modern Art. Yerevan, Armenia.
Pokhara International Mountain Film Festival. Nepal, South Asia.
Mental Health Film Festival- TRIMITI Trust - Mindscope. Pune, India.
Bucheon International Animation Festival. Bucheon, South Korea.
Zoom ZBLIŻENIA International Film Festival. Jelenia Gora, Poland.
INPUT Student Documentary Film Festival. Hilversum, Netherlands.
Future Vision Asia International (Wenzhou) Exhibition. Beijing, China.
Rencontres Internationales du Documentaire de Montréal. Montreal, Quebec.
Anim!arte International Animation Festival of Brazil. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Festival Internacional de Cortometrajes y Arte sore Enfermedades. Valencia, Spain.
Our City Film Project. Cape Town, South Africa.
Sydney World Film Festival. Sydney, Australia.
Ou chy Film Awards. Lausanne, Switzerland.
IMAGE Power Arts Summit. Beijing, China.
Largo Film Awards. Geneva, Switzerland.
AM Egypt Film Festival. Cario, Egypt.
Athens Animfest. Athens, Greece.
Ibiza Cinefest. Ibiza, Spain.
OFFICIAL SELECTION
- National, USA -
Burbank International Film Festival. Burbank, California.
National Film Festival for Talent Youth. Seattle, Washington.
ANNY: Animation Nights New York. New York City, New York.
Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival. Austin, Texas.
American Documentary Film Festival. Palm Springs, California.
DRAWTASTICON 2D Animation Festival. Seattle, Washington.
Monmouth International Film Festival. Monmouth, New Jersey.
ASIFA East: Queer Animation Screening. New York City, New York.
Philadelphia Independents Film Screening. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Newtown Theater Independent Film Screening. Newtown, Pennsylvania.
Blow - UP Chicago International Art House Film Festival. Chicago, Illinois.
Cinema Diverse: Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival. Palm Springs, California.
Princeton University Film Festival. Princeton, New Jersey.
International Peace and Film Festival. Orlando, Florida.
Los Angeles Film Awards. Los Angeles, California.
Awareness Film Festival. Los Angelos, California.
Los Angeles CineFest. Los Angeles, California.
First Take Film Series. Ambler, Pennsylvania.
Trenton Film Festival. Trenton, New Jersey.
Miami Short Film Festival. Miami, Florida.
Film Quest. Utah, Provo.
SHORT LISTED
Paphos International Film Festival. Paphos, Mediterranean Island of Crypus.
Locomotion and Experimental Animation Festival. Mexico City, Mexico.
Mountain Valley Film Competition. San Francisco, California.
Something's Wild Film Festival. Durango, Colorado.
HollyShorts Film Festival. Hollywood, California.