Marlies van der Wel is a Dutch animator and illustrator whose short films have been recognized at prestigious festivals including the Berlinale, Toronto Film Festival, and Sundance. Her award-winning shorts JONAS AND THE SEA and SABAKU were the result of a meticulous collage process in which she weaves drawings, textures and random objects together - brought to life through a technique that she calls ‘digital cut-out animation.’ Addressing big themes in small packages, Marlies uses simple images and words to tell stories that are emotional (but not tearjerkers), universal (yet still personal) and lighthearted (with a healthy dose of humor).