Inari Sirola is a London based animator/filmmaker from Finland. Her work challenges gender stereotypes, questioning identity and confronting the limitations set by society.

‍Identity can be a fragile thing. What defines us and what doesn’t?

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Eating In The Dark's conception began when Inari was accepted into Royal College of Art’s Kyoto Exchange Programme, which meant Inari spent the first semester of her second MA year in Kyoto, Japan, living there for four months. The pre-production of ‘Eating In The Dark’ during this period.

Inari Sirola 'It was interesting to be somewhere where you’d always hoped to be, yet you’re completely alone and there’s nothing to remind you of who you are. I came to realise how fragile a person’s identity can be and how easily we can get lost. Personally when I’m feeling vulnerable, other people’s opinions and comments weigh more than they should.
All of a sudden, things that are precious to you can become a source of embarrassment.
Ultimately, I wanted to illustrate this feeling and address these topics in this film. The main way to visualise this was with my
yellow floating character called Rici. She is the protagonist’s, Siro’s own self hate.'

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This film took Inari over a year to make. And taking off from her initial idea in Kyoto, she blended the themes of insecurity in identity into how that reflects within a female gaze, something she often is aware of in the industry.

'Creating comedy around something meaningful and difficult is my magical combination. I am a very deep thinker and (over) analytical person, so getting to deal with my own life’s dark corners in comedic form is a bliss and somewhat cathartic.

Growing up in Finland as a girl I never felt my gender would create any disadvantages. I come from a family of strong women who are unapologetic about their achievements, so naturally it created a gender neutral setting. It wasn’t until I started studying within this field when I realised how male dominated the industry is. This had a knock on effect which heightened my themes around sexuality and solidified my female perspective.

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Themes around confidence, identity and beauty standards repeatedly manifest themselves within my work. Now you’re thinking where’s the comedy in all that? This is where I balance themes and design. Ugly, floppy, saggy characters with serious motives creates a world that I understand, there’s a tragic comedy and relatability in this without making it too heavy to watch. Lastly, I simply like drawing silly characters. No big agenda there, that’s just always something I’ve been drawn towards (no pun intended).'