Character designs, layouts and BG paint for an animated adaptation of the Romanian poem "Luceafarul" by Mihai Eminescu.
Once upon a time, a human princess asked a star she fell in love with to descend, and the star shot down to Earth to be with her. However, the two realize they can’t be together until one of them gives up on the very essence of their existence.
“Luceafărul” by Mihai Eminescu is one of the greatest accomplishments in Romanian literature and one of the last milestones in Europe’s romantic poetry. Although it is such a highly acclaimed literary work, there are very few cinematic interpretations of it, which is a shame in my opinion. That is why I wanted to explore ways to depict a classic fairy tale story which combines folklore elements and yet preserves a dreamlike atmosphere throughout. Finding the balance between classic and authentic in this project was a challenge that I keep working on resolving, as well as being true to the original while adding my own voice to it.