Oscar Contender The Clearing by Daniel Robert Hope Stars Julian Barratt and Julia Davis

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The Clearing is an animated short film written and directed by Daniel Robert Hope

The animated short film The Clearing will debut on The New Yorker’s digital channels on Friday, December 9th, as part of the magazine’s award-winning Screening Room series. Director Daniel Robert Hope’s Oscar-qualified film shows a snapshot of a family on a camping trip and the problems that plague them. Hope uses stop-motion animation to tell the story in an out-of-the-box way. 

In a desperate battle with his ballooning ego, husband Bill struggles in vain to re-woo his wife, Deb, with his below-par outdoor skills and shocking behavior—that is until their last-ditch camping trip takes a very sinister turn. Bill and Deb are voiced by real-life couple and U.K. comedy royalty Julian Barratt and Julia Davis, making this animated short a must-watch for fans of the comedy heavyweights.

Barratt is known for performing in The Mighty Boosh alongside comedy partner Noel Fielding during the 2000s. The show generated a cult fan following and won many awards.

Watch the Official Trailer for The Clearing as directed by Daniel Robert Hope


Davis wrote and starred in BBC comedy Nighty Night and the comedies Hunderby and Camping, which she also directed. Critics have lauded Davis for creating boundary-pushing black comedy that centers female anti-heroes. A nine-time BAFTA TV Award nominee, she won Best Comedy Writing for “Hunderby” and Best Scripted Comedy for Sally4Ever.

The Clearing is the latest of a host of outstanding animations to come out of the U.K.’s prestigious National Film and Television School, including Wallace & Gromit, The Hill Farm, Head Over Heels, The Bigger Picture, and many more.

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The Poster Art for The Clearing written and directed by Daniel Robert Hope

As part of an impressive festival run that includes BFI London Film Festival, Ottawa, Stuttgart Animation Festival, and Flickerfest, The Clearing scooped Best Animated Short at both Aesthetica Film Festival and RiverRun International Film Festival, qualifying for the same category in the run-up to the 2023 Oscars.

The Clearing is presented by the New Yorker Studios and joins The New Yorker’s award-winning Screening Room series, a collection of fictional films that will make you laugh, cry, and challenge your view of the mundane and the extraordinary.


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About Michael

I review films for the independent film community