Detours Ahead

A young woman embarks on a road trip making her way inland from the coast. As she travels, the landscape transforms from idyllic and blissful to cold and unwelcoming. She struggles with independence and self-reliance as she moves through the harsh landscape. It all comes to a head when she strikes a deer—she reckons with herself, with grief and with moving on.

Directed by Esther Cheung

Director’s Bio: Esther Cheung is a filmmaker and director from Toronto, Canada. Her directorial debut, In Passing, is an award-winning short that screened in over fifty festivals worldwide. She obtained a Bachelor of Animation Arts from Sheridan College in 2019, and a Master of Journalism from the University of British Columbia in 2023. She is known for her poetic approach to story and is inspired by her relationship with place, often using elements of autoethnography and metaphor in her work. She tests personal limitations in her artistic practice by expanding the possibilities of non-narrative storytelling and animation.

Plays in

The Journeys That Shape Us: Animated Shorts

Journeys take many different shapes and sizes. Some are physical—like treks through harrowing landscapes—and others are emotional—such as working through the rollercoaster of grief. Journeys mold us and our outlook on life. And they are almost impossible to go on entirely alone—there will be friends, family, and strangers along the way in small and large capacities. Travel with these characters through fantastical worlds, various animation styles, and all the joys and sorrows of moving forward toward the next adventure.

Award Nominated Shorts