Nursery World - Grieving animator pays tribute to son in film to help parents impacted by stillbirth

A film is being launched by an animator and his wife in memory of their stillborn son to help other parents experiencing the same tragedy.

Still taken from the animated film 'For Isaak', in memory of a couple's stillborn son, Credit: 'For Isaak'

The animation has been made by director and animation lecturer at York St John University Richard Jacobs and his wife Rebecca in memory of their son Isaak who was stillborn in 2020.

The couple say their motivation for making the film, 'For Isaak', was that they felt there was lack of resources to help them emotionally through the tragedy. According to the pair, most support they were offered provided useful facts and information.

'We hope that ‘For Isaak’ speaks to those who have experienced baby loss and articulates something of the complexity of the emotions parents and siblings feel,' said Jacobs.

'We want to say something about the need to mourn a loss but also to celebrate a life. We also want the film to open a wider conversation around baby loss and to start to normalise the discussion in places it has not previously existed.'

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