Rescue Songs

Director Biography

Matthew Fountain is a writer, composer, and first-time co-director based in Gulfport, Mississippi. He studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has released three critically recognized albums. His podcast musical Skiptracer Melodies tells the story of a private investigator who begins hearing people’s “inner songs” and writes music to help them navigate their relationships.

Rescue Songs is Fountain’s directorial debut. Originally developed as a live-action film, the project evolved into an animated short after an animatic unexpectedly struck a chord with early viewers. Embracing the creative freedom animation allowed, the story became more surreal and emotionally expansive. The film took four years to complete and was co-directed with Elizabeth Russell, an illustrator new to animation.

Drawn from personal challenges with depression, perfectionism, and creative burnout, Rescue Songs is a redemptive story about connection through music — one part magical realism, two parts Richard Linklater hangout movie, all set against an Edvard Munch-inspired color palette.

Liz Russell is an independent, self-taught 2D frame-by-frame animator and illustrator. Her work explores moody, emotional themes, often intertwined with elements of nature. She comes from a background in traditional art, which continues to influence her style and process.