Short Film| Client: NOUNS DAO NFT | 2024
MidRiff
Directed & Written by
Neeraja Raj
In the midst of a passionate moment, a young woman interrupts her make-out session to reveal to her partner: an unusual secret residing in her bellybutton - a sentient lint! Armed with a mini ukulele and a knack for singing melancholic tunes, Lint begins to serenade them with a heartfelt ditty about life's unfairness.
Director's Statement
Why a musical about a lint? In my film, Lint embodies the unexpected feelings that emerge during intimate moments - anxiety, insecurity, inexperience, vulnerability - emotions we often dismiss or suppress. Our little Lint symbolizes the quiet but persistent inner struggles we carry.
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It is a well-known fact that young people are having less sex and doing so later than previous generations… because of all these issues and more. Through Lint's funny ditty, we explore themes of self-discovery, acceptance and acknowledgement of our vulnerabilities and desires.
Lint serves as a reminder that even the smallest parts of ourselves deserve validation
Production History
MidRiff was developed in 2024 as a surreal musical comedy exploring vulnerability -- through the lens of lint. The project was supported by Nouns Fest LA, receiving one of 50 international production grants awarded as part of their $1M global short film initiative.
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As a nod to its origins, the story was pitched specifically around the creation myth of the Lint Noun, one of the many pixel-generated characters from the Nouns NFT universe. For context: Nouns are generative NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain—32×32 pixel characters made up of hundreds of interchangeable parts — only one (very tragic) Lint Noun exists.
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The film was completed in late 2024 and had its World Premiere at Nouns Fest in Los Angeles at the United Theater on Broadway in October. Blending live-action sensibilities with stylized 3D stop-motion animation, original music, and character-driven comedy, MidRiff is a weird little ode to insecurity, intimacy, and the fluff we try to ignore. It marks a bold (and bizarre) new chapter in my growing body of animated work.
Awards
Festivals Selections
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World Premiere at NOUNS fest (LA, Oct 2024),
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New Wave Collective (London, April 2025)
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London Indian Film Festival (London, July 2025)
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Femme Filmmakers Festival (US, September 2025)
Credits
Production: Nouns Fest TV
Directed & Written: Neeraja Raj
Producer: Carolina Cordero
Executive Producers: Nouns Fest TV & Nirmalaya Sohan Roy of Aries Group
Co-Producer: Julia Clara Goitia Mañon
Director of Photography: Arushi Chugh
Production Designer: Melina Mei Veropoulou
Editor: Gareth Pugh
Composer: Saul Bragman
Sound Designer: Harry Parsons
Visual Effects Supervisor: Johan Barrios
Colourist: Nigel Tadyanehondo
Title Designer: Isabella Walker
Stills Photographer: Elina Pasok
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Cast:
Lakshmi: Ann Samuel
Eja: Malcolm Atobrah
Lint: As Himself
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Crew:
1st Assistant Director: Jez Marshall
1st Assistant Camera: Vaimiti Lebrere
2nd Assistant Camera: Niels Halle
Steadicam Operator: Dan Starborg
Gaffer: Maxence Ewers
Sparks: David Moga, Emanuel Neagu
Production Sound Mixer: Sam Thomas
Puppet Maker: Lisa Ott
Standby Costume: Leena Mistry
Intimacy Coordinator: Richard McIver
Motion Capture Technician: Matti Vesanen
