Still Life with Woman, Tea and Letter is a stop motion film by Tess Martin. The film shows a scene of someone sitting at a table with a cup of tea, a letter, and a burning candle. Propped up against a small vase on the table is a photograph, which is brought to life through stop-motion.
The photo serves as a small film within the film, creating what feels like a portal to a slightly alternate universe, where someone also sits at a table sipping tea and examining a letter. The technique used is surprisingly practical — rather than digital editing, it employs a series of photos playing like a flipbook through stop motion, which can be seen in a behind-the-scenes video. This innovative application of stop motion technology creates a compelling visual effect.
Originally titled "Stilleven met vrouw, thee en brief" in Dutch, this 2022 short film runs for 2 minutes and 14 seconds, using replacement photo cut-out animation and pixilation techniques. The work explores the photograph as a window into the past, challenging viewers to contemplate their relationship with time by portraying a woman caught between temporal dimensions. After premiering at the Netherlands Film Festival in fall 2022, the film has been featured at festivals worldwide.
See also: Ireland and England's 'best' teas, reviewed by an American
