Novartis’ heartfelt animation

Director Andrea Devia-Nuño helms this exquisite, dreamlike animation through Final Frontier for pharmaceutical company Novartis, titled The Guide, which centres around memory, family history and cardiovascular awareness.  

Through sublime. hand-illustrated 2D animation in deliciously warm orange and purple hues, the poetic film follows a young woman as she travels between past and present, exploring an abstract world of painterly forests and glowing figures.  

At the centre of the narrative is her grandfather, whose presence accompanies the film through music and memory until his sudden heart attack. The story returns to the present, where memory transforms into awareness through a conversation with a doctor.  

“We had to portray emotional ideas, memories, and family connections that felt fragile and deeply human,” says Devia-Nuño. “Working with handmade techniques felt completely natural because of the warmth and expressiveness they inherently carry.”