Mother Of Many

Visually uncomprising, dazzlingly executed, Mother Of Many is a genuine delight. Distinctly animated, a sort of 'cut out and keep' collage with clothes made of medical texts and vibrant colours, its unflinching depiction of the business of childbirth and its various subtleties within that context make it wonderful to watch.

Zooms to and from the sky, a humorous number plate, splitscreens and x-rays are all handled within its consistent visual styling. Overwhelmingly red at times, diagrammatic, with animated charts and a big book of 3273 names, not shying away from blood and nature - on occasion the skirl of heartbeats, sound muffled and distorted, the world of, in, around the womb, and the moment of birth.

David Schweitzer's music is seamlessly integrated, Barnaby Templar's sound work uses actual baby heartbeats (all credited) to contribute to the aural collage, but it's writer, director, and designer Emma Lazenby who should be singled out. Mother Of Many is full of little details, textures, sympathetic character design and beautiful use of pattern. Amniocentisal swirls, sockets on walls, even the taps, all pop, convince, amuse. Lazenby's most seen work might be a promotional animation for Channel 4's property ladder, but she's also done a distinctive film about Nick Cave and work for Marie Stopes. Mother Of Many is lovely, touching, brilliant, inspired by the creator's mother (Pam Lazenby). It's a labour of love, and all the better for it.