"Rocks In My Pockets"

"Rocks In My Pockets" , 88 min., 2014

Written, Directed, Animated and Narrated by Signe Baumane

"Rocks In My Pockets" is a story of mystery and redemption. The film is based on true events involving five women of Signe Baumane's family, including herself, and their battles with depression and suicide. It raises questions of how much family genetics determine who we are and if it is possible to outsmart one's own DNA. The film is packed with visual metaphors, surreal images and a twisted sense of humor. It is an animated tale full of art, women, strange daring stories, Latvian accents, history, nature, adventure and more.

Festivals

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Official Selection – Competition (July 4-12, 2014, Czech Republic)

ANIMATOR 2014, 7th International Animated Film Festival (July 8-19, 2014, Poland)

Dwa Brzegi Film Festival (August 2-10, 2014, Poland)

Fantoche Animation Film Festival (September 2- 7, 2014, Switzerland)

Athens International Film Festival (September 17-28, 2014, Greece)

Seattle International Film Festival, Women in Cinema (September 18-25, 2014)

Calgary International Film Festival (September 18-28, 2014, Canada)

San Sebastian International Film Festival (September 19-27, 2014, Spain)

24th International Film Festival Message to Man (September 20-27, 2014, St. Petersburg, Russia)

Vancouver International Film Festival (September 25 – October 10, 2014, Canada)

Animasyros International Animation Festival (October 2-5, 2014, Greece)

19th Busan International Film Festival (October 2-11, 2014, South Korea)

Anim’est International Animation Festival (October 3-9, 2014, Bucharest, Romania)

Haifa International Film Festival (October 9-18, 2014, Israel)

Indie Spirit Film Festival (October 17-19, 2014, Colorado Springs, CO)

Riga International Film Festival 2Annas (October 17-24, Riga, Latvia)

12th International Film Festival Tofifest (October 18-24, 2014, Poland)

London International Animation Festival, (October 24 – November 2, 2014, UK)

6th Re-Animania International Animation Film Festival (October 25-31, 2014, Armenia)

DOK Leipzig (October 27 – November 2, 2014, Leipzig, Germany)

Tirana International Film Festival (November 3-9, 2014, Albania)

Leeds International Film Festival (November 5-9, 2014, UK)

Northern Film Festival, Leeuwarden (November 5-9, 2014, Netherlands)

Fredrikstad Animation Festival (November 6-9, 2014, Finland)

Cork Film Festival (November 7-16, 2014, Ireland)

Cairo International Film Festival (November 9-18, 2014, Egypt)

Rendezvous With Madness Film Festival (November 10-15, 2014, Toronto, Canada)

7th International Disability Film Festival (November 14-17, 2014, Moscow, Russia)

Three Rivers Film Festival (November 15 & 20, 2014, Pittsburgh, PA)

Animated Dreams, Animated Film Festival (November 19-23, 2014, Estonia)

Gijon International Film Festival (November 21-29, 2014, Spain)

International Film Festival Etiuda & Anima (November 23, 2014, Poland)

Exposed Film Festival (November 23, 2014, Germany)

International Film Festival of India (November 24, 2014, Goa, India)

Les Sommets du Cinema d’Animation (November 27, 2014, Quebec City, QC, Canada)

29th European Union Film Festival (November 28, 2014, Ottawa, ON, Canada)

Les Sommets du Cinema d’Animation (December 3, 2014, Montreal, QC, Canada)

Carrefour du Cinéma de l'animation (December 4, 2014, Paris, France)

Anchorage International Film Festival (December 5-14, 2014, Alaska)

Animateka International Animated Film Festival (December 8 & 14, 2014, Slovenia)

Madeira Micro International Film Festival (December 11, 2014, Portugal)

Tartu Elektriteater (January 5, 2015, Estonia)

Palm Springs International Film Festival (January 5-8, 2014, California)

Pune International Film Festival (January 8-15, 2015, India)

Trieste International Film Festival (January 16-22, 2015, Italy)

Gothenburg International Film Festival (January 23 – February 2, 2015, Sweden)

Portland International Film Festival (February 9 & 14, 2015, Oregon)

Anima, Brussels International Film Festival (February 13-22, 2015, Belgium)

Baltic Sea & Nordic Region Animation and Video Games Festival (February 19-22, 2015, Lithuania)

Animac (February 19-22, 2015, Catalonia, Spain)

Stockfish European Film Festival in Reykjavik (February 20-25, 2015, Iceland)

Powell River Film Festival (February 22, 2015, British Columbia, Canada)

In Motion Festival in Aberdeen (February 28, 2015, Scotland)

Luxembourg City Film Festival (March 3-5, 2015, Luxembourg)

Festival Internacional du Cine du Punta del Este (March 7-15, 2015, Uruguay)

Tricky Women International Animation Film Festival (March 12, 2015, Vienna, Austria)

Holland Animation Film Festival (March 18-22, 2015, Netherlands)

Jamison Dublin International Film Festival (March 19-29, 2015, Ireland)

Vilnius International Film Festival (March 19 – April 4, 2015, Lithuania)

FICBAQ, Festival Internacional De Cine Barranquilla (March 20-28, 2015, Colombia)

Latvian Society in Ireland, Latvian Days (March 30 – April 5, 2015, Ireland)

Uruguay International Film Festival (April 1-4, 2015, Uruguay)

European Film Days (April 9-16, 2015, Czech Republic)

International Frauenfilmfestival of Dortmund / Köln (April 14-19, 2015, Germany)

Festival A l’Est du Nouveau (April 15, 2015, France)

Cinemateca Distrital-Gerencia (April 23, 2015, Colombia)

Klooster Kino (April 24, 2015, Netherlands)

Amimatricks Festival (April 24-26, Finland)

Fajr International Film Festival (April 25 – May 2, 2015, Iran)

European Week in Montrouge (May 5, 2015, France)

Latvian Culture Festival in Pardubice (May 5, 2015, Czech Republic)

Anifilm (May 5-10, 2015, Czech Republic)

Future Film Festival (May 5-10, 2015, Bologna, Italy)

EU Film Days in Tokyo (May 30 & June 4, 2015, Japan)

Annecy International Animated Film Festival (June 15-20, 2015, France)

Melbourne International Animation Festival (June 21-28, 2015, Australia)

Kecskemét Animation Film Festival (June 24-28, 2015, Hungary)

Fest Anca International Animation Festival (June 26, 2015, Slovakia)

Taipei Film Festival (June 27, 30 & July 8, 2015, Taiwan)

International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (June 30, 2015, India)

European Film Days (July 2 & 11, 2015, Kyoto, Japan)

Anima Mundi (July 13 {Rio de Janeiro} & July 21, 2015 {Sao Paulo}, Brazil)

DocsBarcelona & Medellin (July 28 & 30, 2015, Colombia)

Films For Change (July, 2015, Sydney, Australia)

Animix Festival in Tel Aviv (August 5-8, 2015, Israel)

Anibar Animation Festival, Peja (August 21, 2015, Kosovo)

Institute of Contemporary Arts (August 23, 2015, London, UK)

World Festival of Animated Film in Varna (September 9 – 15, 2015, Bulgaria)

Cinemateket, Swedish Film Institute (September 17, 2015, Stockholm, Sweden)

Krok International Animated Films Festival (September 20-28, 2015, Ukraine)

China International Animation and Digital Arts Festival (September 29 – October 5, 2015, China)

Fokus Labe (September 30, 2015, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic)

Mindfest 2015 (October 5, 2015, Toronto, Canada)

FilmFest Osnabrück (October 8, 2015, Germany)

Animatou International Animation Film Festival (October 8, 2015, Geneva, Switzerland)

Caligari Cinema (October 13, 2015, Wiesbaden, Germany)

Women on Fire IX (October 17, 2015, Hamburg, Germany)

Driving Us Crazy International Film Festival (Oct. 17-18, 2015, Gothenburg, Sweden)

Behind the Curtain, Eastern European Film Festival (Oct. 18, 2015, Birmingham, UK)

Beirut Animated, 4th Edition (October 18, 2015, Lebanon)

Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival and Mental Health Foundation (October 21, 2015 – Edinburgh; October 27, 2015 Glasgow, Scotland)

AniMacao, 2015, Macao Cultural Center (October 24, 2015, China)

Bucheon International Animation Festival (October 25, 2015, South Korea)

New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival (Oct. 31 & Nov. 1, 2015, Japan)

Cambridge University (November, 2015, UK)

Anilogue XIII International Film Festival, (November 25 – 29, 2015, Budapest, Hungary)

Sigmund Freud Museum in Vienna & Tricky Women (January 12, 2016, Austria)

VOID International Animation Festival (January 28, 2016, Copenhagen, Denmark)

Riga Film Museum (February 4, 2016, Latvia)

Baltic Sea and Nordic Region Animation and Video Games Festival, Beautiful Land of Nevermind, Kleipeda (February 20, 2016, Lithuania)

Reel Women Hong Kong (March 16, 2016, Hong Kong)

Osianama Womanhood Film Festival (March 20, 2016, Mumbai, India)Society for Cultural Policy, Linz (March 24, 2016, Austria)

Camberwell Film Festival, Kings College (April 1, 2016, London, UK)

Tricky Women Film Festival and Cinematograph Leokino (April 8, 2016, Austria)

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (May 19, 2016, Israel)

European Union Film Festival, Quebec City, Quebec (May 21, 2016, Canada)

Festival International du Film de la Rochelle (June 4-10, 2016, France)

Australian International Animation Festival, Queensland, (August 18, 2016 – Cairns, August 20 – Brisbane, Australia)

Hiroshima International Animation Festival (August 22, 2016, Japan)

Festival Imagina (September 26, 2016, Peru)

United States Theatrical Screenings

New York, NY. IFC Center, September 3-25, 2014

Los Angeles, CA. Cinefamily preview, September 10, 2014

Los Angeles, CA. Laemmle Royal, September 12-18, 2014

New York, NY. Symphony Space, October 5 & 12, 2014

New York, NY. Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences, December 1, 2014

New York, NY. Museum of Moving Image, December 5, 2014

Hudson, NY. Time & Space Limited, September 11–19, 2014

Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Film Society, September 19-21, 2014

Boston, MA. Museum of Fine Arts, September 24 – October 2, 2014

Chicago, IL. Gene Siskel Film Center, September 26 – October 2, 2014

Miami, FL. Miami Beach Cinematheque, October 1-9, 2014

Santa Fe, NM. The Screen, October 3-9, 2014

Ithaca, NY. Cornell Cinema, October 8 & 10, 2014

Cincinnati, OH. Mariemont Theater, October 10-16, 2014

Houston, TX. Museum of Fine Arts, October 11 & 19, 2014

Missoula, MT. Roxy Theater, October 23-26, 2014

Washington, DC. Angelica Pop Up at Union Market, October 24-30, 2014

Cambridge, MA. The Lily Pad, October 30, 2014

Albuquerque, NM. Guild Cinema, November 7-9, 2014

Chicago, IL. The Beverly Center, November 12, 2014

Columbus, OH. Gateway Film Center, November 14-20, 2014

San Francisco, CA. Roxie, November 21-27, 2014

Oakland, CA. New Parkway Theater, November 22-23, 2014

Nevada City, CA. Nevada Theatre, November 23, 2014

San Rafael, CA. Smith Rafael Film Center, November 24, 2014

Albany, NY. Spectrum 8 Theaters. December 4, 2014

Cleveland, OH. Cleveland Cinematheque, December 4-7, 2014

Williamsburg, VA. Kimball Theatre, December 14-21, 2014

Seattle, WA. Sundance Cinemas, January 2-8, 2015

Beverly, MA. Cabot Performing Arts Center, January 5-7, 2015

Rome, NY. Capitol Theatre, January 8-11, 2015

New Orleans, LA. Indywood Cinema, January 9-15, 2015

Lincoln, NE. Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, January 23-29, 2015

Minneapolis, MN. Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul, January 26, Feb. 2 & 4, 2015

Austin, TX. Alamo Drafthouse Ritz, February 1, 2015

Iowa City, IA. Bijou Film Board, March 10, 2015

Cambridge, MA. Brattle Theatre, March 22, 2015

Portland, OR. Clinton St. Theater, April 11-12, 2015

Boulder, CO. Dairy Center for the Arts, June 11-13

Rhinebeck, NY. Upstate Films, July 25, 2015

Rosendale, NY. The Rosendale Theatre, July 25, 2015

Educational and Special Screenings

Greensboro, NC. Mental Health Association in Greensboro, October 22, 2014

Bronxville, NY. Sarah Lawrence College, December 11, 2014

Los Angeles, CA. Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences, January 7, 2015

Los Angeles, CA. Friends of Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, January 12, 2015

Boston, MA. Emerson College, March 26, 2015

Amherst, MA. Amherst College, April 1, 2015

Caldwell, NJ. Mental Health Association of Essex, Caldwell College, April 10, 2015

Asheville, NC. Asheville Radical Mental Health Collective, Mechanical Eye Microcinema, April 21, 2015

Huntsville, AL. National Alliance on Mental Health - Huntsville, Flying Monkey Arts, May 8, 2015

Rochester, NY. Reel Mind Theater and Film Series, May 19, 2015

Livingston, NJ. Academy of Clinical & Applied Psychoanalysis, July 11, 2015

Providence, RI. Rhode Island School of Design, September 28, 2015

St. Louis, MO. Institute for Health Education at St. Luke’s Hospital, September 29, 2015

Cleveland, OH. NAMI Greater Cleveland, October 21, 2015

Baltimore, MD. University of Maryland, Baltimore County, October 22, 2015

Ann Arbor, MI. University of Michigan / Michigan Theater, October 29, 2015

Kalamazoo, MI. Kalamazoo Latvian Center, January 7, 2016

Greenville, SC. South Carolina Governor’s School, March 30, 2016

Wellesley, MA. Wellesley College, April 7, 2016

New York, NY. Hunter College, April 15, 2016

Lynwood, WA. NAMI of Snohomish County and Verdany Community Wellness Center, June 17, 2016

Orlando, FL. Science of Screen Project, Enzian Theater / Rollins College, June 25, 2016

Griffith Film School, Brisbane, Australia, August, 22, 2016

MK Gallery with the Richmond Foundation, Milton Keynes, UK, October 10, 2016

Latvia Theatrical Screenings (as "Akmeņi manās kabatās", a Latvian language version of “Rocks In My Pockets”).

Splendid Palace, Latvian premiere (August 21, 2014, Riga, Latvia)

Forum Cinemas and others, Riga and elsewhere in Latvia. (August 22 – March, 2015)

Broadcast Television

Latvia, May 2015

Italy, SkyArte, July, 2015

Watch "Rocks in My Pockets" on Kanopy at your public or school library.

ROCKS IN MY POCKETS Official Trailer

Watch the full movie on Vimeo, VHX, iTunes, Amazon or for FREE at your local public or school library via Kanopy

Press Quotes

“With ‘Rocks In My Pockets,’ Signe Baumane presents a sharp, surprising and funny animated feature, plumbing the depths of depression via her family history. Guided by Ms. Baumane’s almost musically accented voice-over, this hand-drawn debut feature is based upon the mental struggles of her Latvian grandmother and other relatives. It’s told with remorseless psychological intelligence, wicked irony and an acerbic sense of humor.”
–Nicholas Rapold, NEW YORK TIMES

Full NEW YORK TIMES Review

“Boasting a narrative of extraordinary complexity and density, stuffed with irony, humor and tales-within-tales... imaginative... fascinating and very personal.”
–Alissa Simon, VARIETY
Full VARIETY Review

“Signe Baumane examines her family members’ history with mental illness (as well as her own struggles) with humor, delicacy and eye-catching animation techniques... Her commitment and talent is overwhelming.”
–Whitney Matheson, USA TODAY
Full USA TODAY Review

“Animated in a striking combination of real paper-mache sets and props and hand-drawn 2D figures, the film explores with wit, surreal invention and insight something left far too often undiscussed.”
–Boyd van Hoeij, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
Full THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER Review

“The story is positively enchanting, from beginning to end, at times so bitter you can almost taste it in your mouth, at other times tender and moving, often sweet or cynically funny.”
–FLIX
Full FLIX Review

“‘Rocks In My Pockets’ is a visually stunning masterpiece... an important film... a beautiful conversation starter.”
–Liz Whittemore, Reel News Daily
Full REEL NEWS DAILY Review

“Baumane is a first-rate cinema auteur. This very humane animation is destined to become a classic.”
–Jennifer Merin, Womens eNews
Full WOMENS ENEWS Review

“I often address difficult, uncomfortable subjects in my films, because I believe in confronting the things that bother me head-on.”
–Signe Baumane, Variety profile
Full VARIETY Profile

“You have to find a higher purpose. You have to make a film because you have to make it... because you can’t help it. If you are thinking about rewards you’re in the wrong business.”
–Signe Baumane, The Screen Feed interview
Full THE SCREEN FEED Interview

“My only advice to women directors would be: stick to your guns and continue making your films, feel free to explore new ways of telling stories and finding new ways of connecting with an audience. Because by the laws of the industry, what’s marginal today will be the core tomorrow."
–Signe Baumane, interview in IndieWire.
Full INDIEWIRE Interview

“I made the film not for my own therapy, but to entertain an audience, to make them think and engage them in a conversation. For me a film in a form of communication; yes, part of it is a self-expression, but it is also an exchange of ideas, a dialogue.”
–Signe Baumane, interview in MovieHole