Shervin Hess
CAF gave a grant to Shervin Hess for his as-yet-untitled Sunda pangolin animated short film. This stop-motion short will immerse viewers in the sensory world of the endangered Sunda pangolin. Blending science with surrealism, it follows a female pangolin’s nocturnal journey through Borneo’s forests, revealing a world guided by scent. Using his unique animation technique, Shervin will display invisible scent molecules appearing as colorful streams. The film highlights biodiversity, human impact, and ethical responsibility, building on innovations from Shervin’s first film, Gajah Borneo.
Media often highlights wildlife’s spectacle—the chase, the pounce—but daily survival is shaped by small choices, often impacted by humans. To truly connect with animals, Shervin believes, we must empathize with their realities and recognize their right to exist. Similarly, nighttime forests are often portrayed as ominous, yet in reality, they are places of incredible beauty and ecological importance.
Shervin Hess is a wildlife conservation professional and artist who uses animation to bridge the gap between scientific understanding and emotional connection to endangered species.