Discovering the story behind the film
Mary Anning, the fossil hunter who revolutionized paleontology. Mary Anning (1799–1847) is a fascinating figure in the history of science.
Born into a modest family on the south coast of England, she began as a child to search for fossils on the cliffs of Lyme Regis. Very quickly, she developed an exceptional knowledge of the terrain, making major discoveries: the first complete ichthyosaur, a plesiosaur, and a pterodactyl.
Her findings overturned the knowledge of Earth's history.
At a time when women had no access to scientific circles, Mary Anning observed, collected, and analyzed the world of fossils better than many scholars of her time. Without official training, she was rarely credited for her discoveries. Yet, the greatest scientists of her era relied on her work.
Long ignored, she is today recognized as one of the pioneers of paleontology. Her extraordinary journey, driven by curiosity, perseverance, and passion, inspires students and shows the importance of women in scientific fields.
The film plunges children into the universe of fossils, introduces them to a forgotten figure, and teaches them the scientific method:
observe, search, understand.
Film Synopsis
In 19th-century England, Mary is a young girl passionate about fossils, which she searches for with her father to sell to tourists. The sudden death of her father throws the family into disarray: without money, they must leave their home and Mary's beloved fossil beach. But before dying, her father left her a mysterious message that could change everything…
Director - Whiter Marcel Barelli
MARCEL BARELLI (ENG) (1985, Lodrino, Switzerland) is a director of animated films and author of illustrated books. Passionate about animals and nature, he develops all his projects around these themes. His short films have been selected in hundreds of international festivals and won numerous awards all over the world. He lives and works in Geneva.
Become the Director
Create Your Own Mary Anning Movie
What is stop-motion?
Stop-motion is an animation technique. By moving the characters little by little and taking a photo at each step, you can bring puppets to life! By downloading the kit, you will have characters from the film Mary Anning to animate. Tell a story and send us your finished film by email at psaroloco.project@gmail.com
Which tools should I use?
You can use a smartphone with the help of an app such as Aardman Animator or Stop Motion Studio.
In our kit, you will find:
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A user guide
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Cut-out puppets of:
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Mary Anning
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Henry
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Fanny
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Curios
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Trey
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The Reverend
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Downloads:
Download the stop motion kit (PDF)
Check out our video tips for filming
