AmDocs 2025 Interview: Masha Ellsworth Shares the Story Behind Bound
As part of the 2025 American Documentary and Animation Film Festival (AmDocs) in Palm Springs, director Masha Ellsworth sat down for an in-depth interview to discuss her latest animated short, Bound.
A poetic and visually rich film, Bound reimagines the classic Ukrainian folk song Galya Carries Water through symbolic animation, reinterpreting its ambiguous ending with a heartfelt narrative about connection, misunderstanding, and missed chances.
"Bound is my personal response to a story I grew up hearing again and again—but never understood why it ended the way it did," Ellsworth shared. "I wanted to fill in that missing verse, not just with words, but with emotion and memory."
Inspired by traditional Ukrainian cross-stitch and supported by a musical arrangement featuring authentic instruments like the bandura and sopilka, the film blends cultural specificity with universal themes of timing, communication, and heartbreak.
In the AmDocs interview, Ellsworth spoke candidly about collaborating with her father, Mykola Martyneko—a Ukrainian architect and artist—on the film's world-building and visual design, a process that became a meaningful form of creative healing in the midst of geopolitical uncertainty.
"Creating Bound with my dad, especially during such a difficult time for Ukraine, was both a grounding and empowering experience," she said.
Following the success of her debut short Little t, which also screened at AmDocs in 2024, Bound continues Ellsworth’s exploration of inner emotional landscapes through culturally rooted visual storytelling.
🎬 Bound screened at AmDocs 2025 on March 31 at the Palm Springs Cultural Center as part of the Shorts Program 51.
📍 Learn more about the festival at: www.amdocfilmfest.com
