Anna-Ester Volozh

Beset by countless royal suitors, a princess declares that she will only marry the king who rules over all the others. Adapting with exquisite style a very dark fairy tale from the works of Canadian author L.M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables!), U.K. animator Anna-Ester Volozh adds a further layer of feminist subversion to a story that’s already a challenge to patriarchal conventions.

Inspired by Joan of Arc, Johanne follows a day in a life of the eponymous heroine. While set in medieval fantasy town, it explores the very current and urgent theme of preserving one’s humanity while struggling against inhumane environment, from modern feminist perspective.