Directed by Matt Cerini at the School of Visual Arts in New York, Dear Alice is an animated short film that tells the story of Anthony, an unconfident artist, who must inspire a wide-eyed young girl, Alice, to see the beauty in her sketch before the bus they’re in reaches his stop.

The film, which was completed in 10 months time and included a team of 15 artists in production, deals with artistic growth through self-doubt and reassurance, thanks to a chance meeting with someone dealing with the same issue as yours. The director’s ultimate goal was to pull at the heartstrings of anyone watching, to make them shed a tear when the little girl felt completely abandoned, or crack a smile when she lit up as Anthony nodded for her to give it another try.

The score, written as a duet between solo violin (performed by Patti Rudisill) and solo cello (performed by Michelle Packman), plays on this newfound relationship where each character inspires the other. Both instruments are featured first by themselves, then start answering and supporting each other, to finally join together in a warm and uplifting ending. Harp (performed by Lara Somogyi), piano and strings provide the emotional backing.