Graduating RISD Film/Animation/Video Students Present Moving Final Films

Cheers roared through the packed RISD Auditorium on May 9 as the crowd settled in to view final films by Class of 2025 Film/Animation/Video seniors. “By experiencing these works together, you the audience become more than just observers,” said FAV Department Head Sheri Wills. “You are an important part of bringing these films and the artists’ journeys to life.”

Opening night began with an animation by Ella Babb 25 FAV called Ellavision Television's Super-Sick Explosion Show. On a mostly white background, the piece featured an animated TV set, lively music and dancing chairs and televisions. Babb says her work is heavily influenced by her childhood obsession with reality dance competition shows, and this piece is no exception. “I enjoy telling silly music-driven stories through a combination of 3D and 2D animation, motion capture, live-action video and whatever else pops up along the way,” she says. 

Another animated film, by Madelyn Kieh 25 FAV tells a story about what it means to feel love throughout life. How do you define love? And how would you explain it to someone who can’t even begin to grasp its meaning, the Liberian-American filmmaker wonders. Inspired by her own life, Those Three Little Words features a young girl who—after some deliberation and hesitation—learns to love her new kitten. The girl and the kitten grow up together, and later the girl brings home another kitten, who befriends her childhood cat. The film takes a sad turn when the older cat passes away, but his ghost remains with the girl and the younger cat as they grieve. 

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“I enjoy making art about memory, nostalgia and other bittersweet facets of human life,” Keih says. “Through my work, I want to show that happy endings are attainable and not just something that can be found in picture books or dreams.” 

Later in the program, an animated film called Tabascus Stellaris by TK Kim 25 FAV  features a baby alien who escapes to Earth to evade hungry captors. Three friends in Texas must outrun its furious cosmic pursuer, a squad of reckless cops, and a turbo-granny—all while figuring out how to send it home. Bright colors and quick-witted dialogue captivated the audience. 

A live-action film called Untitled by Jetai 25 FAV explores a world where one dies only if their name is not spoken for a full weekday. A suicidal woman revisits an old best friend to understand who is keeping her alive and discovers those who still care deeply for her. Jetai says she’s passionate and strong-willed in her artistry and values her faith as her driving force. 

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Other films shown included the animated Fireworks (烟花) by Jenny Wu 25 FAV, which features a young girl who finally grows up through depicting the fictional death of a romanticized version of herself in flowers and fireworks; Blinks in Mimi’s Singing Voice by Natalie Xie 25 FAV, a colorful concoction of drawings and electronic and natural sounds; the live-action film Sweet Fortunate Road by San Diego native Richard Shi 25 FAV, which features a young mother driving her daughter back from summer camp; and Band of Wild by multidisciplinary artist Katrina Sol Warren 25 FAV, an animated film about a curious cat that embarks on a journey into a strange and shifting world, where nothing is quite as it seems. 

“Each of these projects was brought to life from the artist’s vision, commitment and passion. However, none of them would exist without the collaborative efforts and unwavering support of fellow students, faculty members, staff, friends and family,” says Wills.

All of this year’s senior thesis films are available to view on YouTube. View the first group’s films here, and the second here. 

Kaylee Pugliese / Top image: Tabascus Stellaris by TK Kim
May 22, 2025