Facing It

Shaun always feels separate and isolated from the confident, happy world around him. Whilst waiting for his parents in a busy pub, Shaun struggles valiantly to join in with the admirably happy people in the crowd, but the more he tries, the more he goes awry. As everything in the pub goes from bad to worse, Shaun finds himself confronted by the painful memories that made him who he is. His feelings, memories and desires overwhelm him and by the end of the evening he is ready to explode…

According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 13 people suffer from social anxiety. By using a hybrid of claymation, pixelation and live action, director Sam Gainsborough aims to paint a visceral portrait of this internal struggle. The result is Facing It, a multi award-winning stop motion movie that gives a nod to the claustrophobic atmospheres of Jan Švankmajer.