Born and raised in India, Ash serves as the creative director behind Project Saudade. While taking on such an extensive project is challenging, he is driven by a vision of the final film that he hopes will resonate with audiences in a poignant and meaningful way.

One of Ash’s favorite childhood memories is awaiting the monsoons that would arrive by way of the Arabian Sea, bringing relief to the subcontinent before heading toward the Himalayas. He also remembers cool nights on his balcony in Bombay, listening to the radio and thinking about the brevity of life as he watched pearls of light glide past his view.

Ash lives in New England, but is still searching for the elusive sense of home.

Composer and editor Moriah Harris was born in New Mexico and raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

In New Mexico, she discovered the beauty of bones dried out in the hot summer sun, the sting of red ants, the contrast of a deep blue sky against rusty terracotta cliffs, and the smell of roasted chilis and pinon nuts. In Virginia, she learned to appreciate the way humidity softens the skin, to notice every shade of blue-gray and green in the layers of the Appalachians, and how to play old time fiddle tunes.

Moriah seeks to infuse every composition with melodic beauty and bittersweetness. She is over the moon to see her music paired with the beautiful imagery of Project Saudade.

Director’s note: Moriah’s compositions are complex, poetic, and heartfelt - a perfect fit for the vision of this project.

Jiani Yu is a full-time illustrator from Shanghai who loves the idea of people connecting to her through her illustrations. She specializes in creating evocative, story-filled images that ignite the imagination.

A 2020 graduate of RISD, Jiani’s creative roots go back to her childhood days, where doodling and drawing provided relief from the pressures of a demanding school schedule.

When she is not working on an art project, Jiani enjoys preparing and sharing delicious food, and thinks of this as the best way to bring people together.

Director’s note: Jiani’s hand is in more than 70% of the imagery; her evocative drawing is always filled with beauty and care. Her work is featured here in the fisher person scene from the animation page. We are supremely lucky to have her!

Kevin Ho is an illustrator whose styles range from comedic and cartoonish to serious and painterly or somewhere in between.

“Ever since I read my first Calvin and Hobbes strip, the act of drawing has been as integral to my existence as breathing. Even at that age, learning how to convey stories and emotion through my work was very important to me.”

A 2022 graduate of RISD, Kevin lives in Boston, but home to him is wherever his family is. Kevin loves runnning through great swathes of nature, and upon graduation, would like to work full time as a story artist in animation.

Director’s note: Kevin’s storyboards are so good, it is sometimes hard to believe they are “just” sketches. Kevin is responsible for the gorgeous illustration featured here on the homepage.

Animator and sci-fi enthusiast Evgeny Lyamov joins the team virtually from his home in St. Petersburg, Russia.

When Evgeny was a kid, he spent all his spare change on art books and all his spare time learning how to draw. Now, as a full time artist, he specializes in illustration, concept art, and motion graphics. Evygeny tells us the themes of Saudade have resonated with him from the very beginning of the project.

Evgeny is an avid reader and considers his home to be anywhere in the presence of his beloved wife. 

Director’s note: As the primary animator, Evygeny brings the illustrations to life! His patience and perserverance while adding movement to form is remarkable.