Nadia Darries

Nadia Darries is a SAFTA and Annie Award–winning director and co-founder of Goon Valley Animation, and was recently named one of Animation Magazine’s Rising Stars of Animation (2026). She specializes in guiding projects from early concept into emotionally resonant final form, working across writing, directing, animation, and editing, operating at the intersection of creative vision and practical execution. She co-wrote and co-directed the Annie Award–winning Star Wars: Visions episode Aau’s Song, the first African-made story in the Star Wars universe, and is currently co-directing the independent feature in-development, Crocodile Dance. With a background in performance-driven animation at Triggerfish Animation Studios, Nadia’s work focuses on emotionally grounded storytelling, with a sensitivity to character, voice, and the deeper inner lives that shape human behavior.