The 3D film Vidalia: vegetables at the heart of a thriller
News . 16 Apr. 2025
“Vidalia” takes you on a journey through a short animated film that is as creative as it is immersive. Directed in 2023 by Camille Borg, Constance Cartaut, Diane Hamel, Tabatha Hugues, Morgane Jolivel, Emile Lachkar, Bastien L’Hourre, Enzo Regardin, and Céline Soubrane as part of their final year at ESMA. While waiting for its full release in June, let yourself be surprised by this daring preview.
“Vidalia”: a concentrated dose of action and tension
Selected for the prestigious SIGGRAPH festival, this film captivates audiences with its unique universe, technical excellence, and bold artistic direction.
At the heart of the story are Vidalia and Cal, two onion brothers who are complete opposites. While one is shy and reserved, the other embodies bravery and determination. Together, they set out to find the inhabitants of their village, who have been mysteriously kidnapped by strange creatures. A grueling journey awaits them, where they will have to face their fears, overcome their differences, and confront a threat as disturbing as it is unpredictable.
A project carefully crafted down to the smallest visual detail.
This graduation film was marked by challenges as varied as they were stimulating. Among them, character creation proved particularly complex, requiring long hours of research and modeling. Before arriving at a clear direction, the directors conducted an extensive testing phase, exploring very contrasting avenues “from cartoon to something more realistic” in order to define the most appropriate visual identity for their universe.
The realistic approach was ultimately chosen, as can be seen in the textures, settings, and carefully scaled onions.
This choice, which is both aesthetic and narrative, stands out from the traditional treatment of vegetables in animation, which is often found in commercials and films.
Looking back on the birth of Vidalia, the filmmakers recall: “I happened to come across a video featuring vegetables being treated in a dramatic way,” explains one of the students involved in this unique project. “I found the concept both original and absurd, and I wondered what it would be like to put these vegetables in a world that doesn’t exist, where everything is treated realistically and seriously, and adapt that into a horror genre.”
See you in June!
The gamble has paid off: Vidalia is a resounding success, both visually and emotionally, skillfully blending genres to create an unforgettable experience. Don’t miss the full version, which will be available on ESMA’s YouTube channel in June! In the meantime…