New Bedford animator to screen short film about her love for city's fishing industry.

NEW BEDFORD -- With the city's rich history of fishing and an industry that has shaped the community for generations, filmmaker and artists Julia Harley Francisco-Simoes has made it the source of inspiration and passion for her work in the art of stop-motion animation.

Recently nominated for Best Animated Film at the New Bedford Film Festival, Francisco-Simoes combined her love for the history of her hometown with her talents to create "Widow's Peak," that she said tells the story of love, perseverance and female empowerment.

The film screens on Saturday, April 20 at 12 p.m. at Ground Work New Bedford as part of a NBFF's animated short showcase.

"My grandfather was a captain in New Bedford and my family history has a lot to do with fishing and the industry that started in New Bedford," she said. "So I really wanted to create a memorial to the fishing heritage."

Falling in love with the art of stop-motion animation

Her inspiration for her stop-motion animations comes also from her love for films like "Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Coraline."

Francisco-Simoes said she became so fascinated with the art, teaching herself how to make puppets.

"My mom would take me to classes at Rhode Island School of Design when I was a kid," she said, adding that she attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

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However, as the only one in her class, the school dropped the major and she transferred to the Massachusetts College of Art and Design instead. Not only did she learn from some of the top artists in stop-animation, she was also inspired by MTV ads and music videos.

"It was really amazing to get some headway and learn from all these talented individuals," she said.

It took over nine months to finish the four minute film

Creating a stop motion animation requires immense patience, attention to detail and a wide range of skills, according to Francisco-Simoes.

"You have to do everything from sculpting to knowing how the camera works, and even understanding gravity," she added.

Francisco-Simoes said it took her a little over nine months to make the film, that runs under four minutes, on her kitchen table. "It was just me animating almost 24 hours a day. It was a labor of love," she said.

The short film tells the story of a woman named Mimi whose love goes off to sea and never returns. To find him, she must disguise herself as a boy and face the hardships of life at sea. Francisco-Simoes said she had heard stories of women who disguised themselves as men to join their loved ones at sea.

"I wanted to incorporate that into my film to pay tribute to these strong and courageous women," she said.

Collaborating with her friend and musician Catherine Elizabeth, also known as Little Musket, they created a seamless fusion of animation and music.

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"I really wanted a female to narrate and sing the story because it's about a woman's journey and experiences. Having Catherine's music complement the visuals was a dream come true," Francisco-Simoes added.

"Widow's Peak" has received critical acclaim including winning the Human and the Human Spirit award at the Dusty Film & Animation Festival.

Keeping the art of stop-motion animation alive

Her passion for stop-motion animation has taken her from New Bedford to Miami, where she also works as a tattoo artist. She hopes to one day have her own studio and workspace where she wants to turn "Widow's Peak" into a feature film.

"I hope people take away a little bit of the heart of New Bedford and the fishing industry. It is a tribute to the seafaring women and their strength and resilience," she said, adding that she hopes that her work will not only entertain but also educate others.

"I also want to show that stop motion is not a dying art, and try to keep the magic of stop motion alive."

Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at schitwood@s-t.com. Follow him on twitter:@ChitwoodReports. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford stop-motion animator Julia Harley Francisco-Simoes