‘Pallbearers’ concept photo. Courtesy of the artist.

CalArts student Amanda Bonaiuto (Film/Video MFA 18) was named a 2017-2018 recipient of the Princess Grace Foundation (USA) Honorarium in Film. The foundation’s prestigious annual awards provide financial support and recognition to emerging artists in Dance, Theater and Film.

The honorarium will help Bonaiuto produce her Experimental Animation thesis film titled, Pallbearers.

In an email Bonaiuto describes her film as “an ensemble character piece set in a funeral home focusing on the fine line between despair and absurdity. The scenes and interactions play on the various ways in which characters react to death and its aftermath.

“The film explores the liminal space between life and death, and the candid human perspective through the experience of a child while acknowledging the surrealism and playfulness in the painful events that make us human.”

Bonaiuto’s award-winning animated short film, Batfish Soup, has been screened at dozens of film festivals around the world including Slamdance, Holland International Film Festival, Ann Arbor Film Festival and Venice Film Week.

Applying for a Princess Grace Film Award is a rigorous and highly competitive process. Before being considered for scholarships, students from nominated schools must be selected by their deans and have already completed at least one film.

The nonprofit charity was created 35 years ago by Prince Rainier of Monaco in honor of the legacy of his wife Princess Grace [Kelly]. Since its inception, more than 800 recipients have received scholarships and support for their creative projects.

Check out more of Bonaiuto’s work on her tumblr, and watch her film, Batfish Soup, [here].

Batfish Soup from Amanda Bonaiuto on Vimeo.