'Rooms' by Andrew D. Zimbelman

Brooklyn-based filmmaker Andrew D. Zimbelman’s lovely animation of a poem by Billy Collins. Collins’ ability to blend of humour with dark rumination resonated with Zimbelman since he first discovered the former U.S. poet laureate’s work, especially due to some personal struggles with anxiety. After a chance encounter at JFK Airport, Collins not only gave Zimbelman his blessing but has since expressed his praise for the project: “I admit I had my doubts, but you have done it, lad. Brilliant!”

Zimbelman approached “Rooms” with the hope that people will find something they can relate to or, at the very least, gain a better understanding of the speaker of Collins’ poem. As he shared with us:

“I moved away from showing the narrator much at all, instead his presence is felt in each room. This allows space for the viewer to walk in his shoes, cast his shadow, and think his thoughts.”