Short Animated Film Of All The Things, Shining a Light on Hoarding Disorder, Premieres
Skwigly
Leicester’s Kino Bino Studio marked the completion of their animated short film, Of All The Things, which has been six years in the making, with a premiere at the Phoenix Cinema during Hoarding Awareness Week this May.
The film was funded by the BFI NETWORK, with support from the National Lottery, crowdfunding, and sponsorship. Of All The Things focuses on a mother-daughter relationship, exploring the emotional challenges of living with hoarding disorder. Director Steff Lee, who drew inspiration from her own lived experience, was motivated to tell this story to help reduce the shame and stigma around hoarding.
“From my own journey, I’ve seen how shame can be a barrier to accessing support. We hope our film can play a meaningful part in the wider, nationwide effort that embraces a more compassionate and holistic understanding of hoarding.” said Lee
Producer Bella Tomlinson, known for her work on Bob the Builder and Pingu, spoke of the film’s dual mission: not only to spread awareness of hoarding as a mental health condition, but also to create space for emerging female animators.
“One of the most rewarding parts of this project was giving new talent a chance to shine,” she said. “For some of our team, this was their first ever film credit, and I’m proud we could help launch their animation careers.”
Executive Producer Andrew Gregory, health editor at The Guardian, joined the project via his production banner Brungerley.
“Hoarding disorder affects millions around the world, but it’s rarely discussed and often deeply misunderstood,” he said. “We hope the film will raise awareness, reduce stigma, and resonate with audiences everywhere.”
The premiere brought together the film crew alongside a diverse group of supporters, including hoarding organisations, people with lived experience, housing associations, public service workers, educators and local filmmakers.
A post-screening panel discussion highlighted the film’s educational potential. Speakers from across the hoarding support sector described how the animation could be a powerful training tool and conversation starter.
Jo Cooke of Hoarding Disorders UK praised the film’s emotional depth: “A beautifully sensitive creation which highlights the complex issues hoarding brings up for people with hoarding behaviours and their loved ones. Of All the Things really touches on the fact that hoarding is so much more about the person and not the stuff”
The film was praised for challenging the harmful myth that hoarding can be “fixed” with a skip and a clean-up crew,
“You can’t just take the stuff away, that’s like telling someone with an alcohol addiction to stop drinking. The trauma behind the behaviour needs understanding.” said Mandi Simms, Ambassador for Hoarding UK.
The film has also received public endorsements from organisations including Clouds End CIC, Holistic Hoarding, and APDO.
The premiere marked a key milestone for Of All The Things and its mission to raise awareness of hoarding and those affected. Insights from the panel highlighted the unique power of film to connect emotionally, sparking conversations and shifting perceptions, in ways that facts alone often can’t.
Kino Bino will now be developing the next phase of the project, with festival submissions underway, further screenings planned, and educational training materials in development, helping the film reach even more people who need it.
Of All The Things was made possible thanks to generous support from: BFI NETWORK, National Lottery, Holistic Hoarding, Accent Housing, WBR Group, DMU Engagement, The BICSc, Ford Fine Art, Ideal Services Group, Amplius, Cadent Gas, Northern Gas Networks, Jigsaw Homes, Peabody and Orbit Group.