Laura Tofarides, a filmmaker from Bronllys, has been longlisted for a BAFTA Film Award with her debut short, Brain Space, which follows a woman into her own mind as she meets her inner child and battles to save her from the shadows of her own trauma.

The stop-motion film was supported by Ffilm Cymru Wales and BBC Wales. She finds herself in the British Short Animation category.

Laura now works at Aardman in Bristol, currently on their title Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom. Laura started animating when she was 11.

Speaking to The Brecon and Radnor Express, Laura said: “When I found out I was long listed my heart skipped a beat. I was so happy. I didn’t truly expect it. I reached out to my team and we got on a video call with each other and squealed.”

She worked on the film with her boyfriend, who is a stop motion puppet maker and sculptor, alongside a VFX and editor.

Her BAFTA long listing is a major achievement - and she’s one of only two female directors recognised in this year’s category. Laura said: “It’s great that there are two women in the category. We’re seeing more and more female directors coming through, but it’s still a slow process. The industry is still male dominated. I can only speak from my perspective, but I think so much of it comes from self confidence and self belief. Being able to see yourself in a space. You can’t be what you can’t see.”

Speaking on the nature of the film, Laura says: “It’s a hopeful film about trauma. The themes in the film speak to a very common human experience, one which is often avoided and silenced. It was really important to me to tell a story which feels authentic and real so that the audience can empathise with her struggle and know they are not alone. Audiences have told me the film really connected with them and some people feel quite emotional afterwards - I count that as a massive win because it means I've done my job as a filmmaker right! It's amazing to know that people can relate to our little puppet which we painstakingly brought to life frame by frame over the course of 5 years - it's a crazy process but we love it and audiences do too.”

The film is currently doing the festival circuit, and will soon be broadcast on the BBC.

Laura has contributed to iconic projects including work on Nick Park and Wes Anderson films, as well as beloved UK series like Shaun the Sheep and The Very Small Creatures.

More information about the film, including behind the scenes footage, can be found on the Brain Space Instagram: www.instagram.com/Brainspacefilm, as well as Laura’s website: www.lauratofarides.co.uk/films