The Government of Chile, in partnership with VML and Punk Robot, the Academy Award-winning studio behind “Bear Story,” proudly presents “Don’t Stop Motion,” a powerful and moving animated short film. This unique project puts the creative power directly in the hands of patients living with rheumatoid arthritis, utilizing stop-motion animation and clay therapy to tell a story of resilience, creativity, and the importance of never giving up.
Rheumatoid arthritis affects over 20 million people worldwide, impacting not only their joints but also their daily lives and families. While there is no cure, “Don’t Stop Motion” offers a message of hope and highlights the benefits of holistic treatment approaches that include physiotherapy and kinesiology. The project specifically highlights natural clay therapy which has been shown to reduce levels of pain and bring comfort to patients.
The film follows a crafts teacher who, despite the challenges of rheumatoid arthritis, finds inspiration in her students to keep moving forward. By combining art, therapy, and social awareness, “Don’t Stop Motion” transcends traditional storytelling and becomes a therapeutic tool in its own right.
A key element of ‘Don’t Stop Motion’ is its collaborative creation: patients with rheumatoid arthritis co-created the clay characters and actively participated in the cinematic process as part of their therapy.
The film was premiered with RA patients, patient groups and healthcare professionals alongside specialised health medial channels and primary healthcare centres to raise awareness about the Government of Chile’s programs, which provide free medication and specialized therapies to improve outcomes for patients.
A Cinematic Process Turned into Therapy
The creation of “Don’t Stop Motion” not only produced an artistic and engaging film, it also transformed the process into a therapeutic tool. Patients worked on their joint mobility by helping mold the characters, whilst at the same time strengthened their self-esteem and self-worth by seeing their work reflected on the big screen.
- Cecilia Rodríguez, Director of “Me Muevo” Foundation: “This project demonstrates how creativity can be a potent force in improving the quality of life for patients. The combination of clay therapy and artistic expression benefits not only the joints but also the emotional well-being of those living with this disease.”
- Patricio Escala, Academy Award winner and Executive Producer at Punk Robot: “Working on ‘Don’t Stop Motion’ was a unique experience that reminded us of the power of cinema to highlight important issues. This film tells a story and creates a space where people can feel part of something bigger, connecting their individual struggles with a collective message of hope.”
- Montserrat Bauza, Marketing Director of the Government of Chile: “Through initiatives like ‘Don’t Stop Motion,’ we champion creativity and meaningful content, developing campaigns that connect and drive real change. Our goal is to raise awareness about a disease that, with early diagnosis, has a very positive prognosis for the 100,000 people it affects in our country.”
- Nino Goldberg, Chief Creative Officer LATAM at VML: “The idea behind ‘Don’t Stop Motion’ was simple yet powerful: turning clay therapy into a meaningful experience. We wanted the patients to be protagonists—not just of the film but also of a message of resilience.”
