This year, Desi Oon stands out as the sole Indian official selection at the Annecy International Animation Festival—an exceptional honour that highlights a project deeply rooted in India’s pastoral heritage. Directed by Suresh Eriyat and produced by Studio Eeksaurus, the film’s inclusion in the world’s most prestigious animation showcase signals more than just creative validation. “It’s a precious film to us—both in its intent and execution,” says Eriyat. “For a story so deeply Indian to find space on a global platform means the world. It reaffirms that our rooted stories can have universal resonance.”
The film tells the story of India’s indigenous Deccani sheep and the wool they produce—a tale woven with care, quite literally, through the medium of wool itself. With Desi Oon reaching the global platform, Eriyat hopes it sparks international attention and support for the issues it highlights: reviving the wool economy, sustaining pastoralism, and preserving a traditional way of life that’s quietly disappearing.
A year among shepherds: learning the language of wool
Why tell a story through wool? For Eriyat, it was both a poetic and purposeful decision.
“India has 42 breeds of sheep—we’re one of the world’s top wool producers, yet the pastoral economy is vanishing quietly,” he explains. The Deccani sheep, native to the Deccan plateau, became the ideal protagonist. “We wanted to speak directly to those who live with wool every day—so we used Deccani wool to animate the story. It gave the film texture, emotion, and authenticity.”
The storytelling choice is also deeply symbolic. In Desi Oon, wool is not just material—it’s the narrator, giving voice to the land, the sheep, and the shepherds.
The film’s journey began in mid-2023 with months of research, leading to a deep collaboration with the Centre for Pastoralism. “By early 2024, I was walking with the flocks myself,” Eriyat shares. He made the storyboard right after his personal journey with the flocks. He was in touch with members from Centre for Pastoralism and Samagata Foundation supported the cause.
These immersive experiences shaped the film’s tone and visual identity. By August, the full team had joined the shepherds, and production began in full swing. From ideation to completion, Desi Oon took a year. The actual stop-motion shoot, executed using real wool, was completed in just four months. “We worked across two parallel setups, something we are very proud of, given the material’s complexity.”
Crafting emotions in texture and sound
Studio Eeksaurus is in constant pursuit of what serves the story best—even if it means taking a path no one has walked before. Working with wool in stop-motion posed significant challenges.
“None of us had ever done this before,” Eriyat admits. Yet those challenges brought unexpected creativity. “Though the wool was mostly grey and black, the team found ways to create depth and visual richness. It pushed everyone to think differently.”
The music and sound design played a vital role in amplifying the film’s emotional resonance. Lyricist Swanand Kirkire lent his voice to the wool-narrator, crafting folk-inspired verses that carried the story forward. National Film Award-winning composer Rajat Dholakia recorded live folk musicians in Mumbai to preserve cultural authenticity, while Oscar-winner Resul Pookutty’s sound design completed the immersive experience.
Adithi Krishnadas, a director from Studio Eeksaurus, crafted the animatics, while senior creative lead Nijin developed the visual tone. Stop-motion animator Aman Gupta led a team—many of whom were new to animation but brought an extraordinary level of creativity and dedication.
Honouring Balu Mama: a shepherd’s shepherd
At the heart of Desi Oon is Balu Mama, a real-life shepherd who dedicated his life to preserving the genetic purity of Deccani sheep. Alongside his wife, Satyava, he resisted the tide of crossbreeding and helped sustain a traditional, symbiotic relationship between people, sheep, and land.
“Balu Mama’s story is a symbol of resilience and vision,” says Eriyat. “The Deccani sheep are not just livestock, they’re ecosystem engineers. Their existence supports soil health, biodiversity, and rural livelihoods.”
Story paves the way
Studio Eeksaurus has long been celebrated for its design-driven, story-first approach. “We never begin with a style,” says Eriyat. “We start with the story and let it decide its visual language.” This ethos, combined with fearless experimentation, has earned the studio several Annecy selections over the years – including a historic Cristal award in 2015. At Studio Eeksaurus and during his time at Famous Studios, he has witnessed 15 of his films being officially selected at the prestigious event.
For Eriyat and Studio Eeksaurus executive producer Nilima Eriyat, Annecy is more than just a festival. “It’s a global pulse of what animation can be,” he reflects. “Every year, it reminds us of the medium’s limitless potential.” With Desi Oon, that potential is realised through an intimate and expansive story, a lyrical homage to a disappearing world told through the voice of wool itself.
In its gentle textures and powerful message, Desi Oon invites viewers not just to watch, but to feel and perhaps to act.
