Stumbling Blocks (2025)

When everything falls apart, how do you find your balance again?
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Stumbling Blocks follows a solitary Domino character trying to reclaim inner calm after their world comes tumbling down. Told entirely through tactile, handcrafted animation, it’s a universal story about grief, healing, and the quiet strength it takes to begin again.
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This story was inspired by the personal loss of my nan to cancer and the emotional fallout that followed — a time of upheaval, reflection, and unexpected growth. The Domino's journey is metaphorical, gentle, and deeply human — even if no humans appear on screen.
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It is a four-minute stop motion short about loss, resilience, and rediscovering peace.


Producer / Writer / Director - TORTOR SMITH
Studio Manager - DAVID SMITH
Music Composition - OLETA HAFFNER
Title Designer - STUART PITCHER

Main Sponsor - TRANS MEDIA WATCH
Additional Sponsors - WILL CARNE, ENRIQUE ZERON