Northened is an original animated short film about growing up in the twilight of industrial Hamilton, Ontario. Two friends spend an endless, muggy summer exploring their neighborhood, where electrical towers dot the beach and factories loom high above them. As the heat thickens, strange and hallucinatory experiences take hold.

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Craft & Direction

Directed by Fern Ally Una Di Gallo and produced by Fern, Northened is built on hand-drawn 2D animation and illustration. Every frame carries a warmth and looseness that matches the hazy, dreamlike quality of the story. The character animation and environmental design feel personal and lived-in, grounding the surreal moments in something recognizable and real.

The film was produced in partnership with the Toronto Animated Image Society and features music by Nathan Ivanco (Beach Vicodin). It represents the kind of original storytelling Fern believes in, work that starts with a director's vision and trusts the medium to carry it. Northened launched on Summer Solstice 2024.