Valerie Barnhart’s Girl in the Hallway may have a short runtime, but the film is brimming with a stunning artistic vision that marks every frame. Barnhart’s animation harmonizes with Jamie DeWolf’s narration to create a suspenseful true-crime tale with a deep emotional core— a mesmerizing showcase of talent, creativity, and most importantly, humanity.
Barnhart taught herself animation filmmaking while embarking on a truly ambitious project in Girl in the Hallway. Based on the live slam poem performance from Jamie DeWolf, Girl in the Hallway brings an already extremely powerful real-life tale to a new dimension.
Director Valerie Barnhart speaks to Filmotomy about her independent animation and visual artistry, part of the 5th Femme Filmmakers Festival Competition Selection. On the violence of silence, harrowing stories, and why Little Red Riding Hood still haunts Jamie DeWolf all these years later.
Listen to the audio interview here, as well as the short film and Jamie DeWolf’s original live performance:
