MFA student Avery Kroll’s animated short ‘The Piano’ selected for Tribeca Festival

‘The Piano’ inspired by Kroll’s childhood, culminates nearly four years of work

Kim Chaudoin  |  04/29/2025

When Avery Kroll was a young girl she would sneak out of bed at night to listen to her dad play the piano and fall asleep on the stairs.

Little did she know then that she would grow up to be an animator who would create an animated short inspired by those memories that would be recognized at one of the top film festivals in the country.

Kroll’s creation, The Piano, has been nominated for Best Animated Short at the prestigious Tribeca Festival in New York City. Having her short film recognized on this stage is a culmination of nearly four years of work and faith.

"I could never have dreamed this story would be where it is today," said Kroll, who will graduate from Lipscomb University with a Master of Fine Arts in film and creative media with a focus in animation in May. "I truly believe that God has opened doors for us and these amazing opportunities. He has something special planned for this project, and I can't wait to find out what it is."

The Piano is a 2D/CG animated short inspired by Kroll’s childhood memories. The seven-minute film tells the story of a young girl who sneaks out of bed one night and discovers her father bent over the keys at the piano, sparking a “lifelong bond that resonates far beyond their final note,” she said.  

“The Piano explores the power of music and the significance of bonds formed in relationships. In the important relationships in our lives, we all have a unique tradition or activity that becomes the foundation of our relationships,” Kroll explained. “In these moments, values and lessons are passed down to the next generation from parent to child. We hope that by sharing this story, our audience will  reminisce on their special bonding moment and be inspired to make those memories with their kids.”

The short, animated by a team of professional animators and Lipscomb students and funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign, also features an original musical score by a very special artist that Kroll said will be announced soon.

The Tribeca Festival, founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in 2001, has become one of the most important platforms in the United States for showcasing independent films, television, immersive experiences, and audio storytelling. This year’s festival takes place June 4-15, and will draw artists and audiences from around the world to celebrate storytelling in all its forms.

“Tribeca is a top-five film festival in the United States, so for Avery to have her film as an official selection is a big deal,” said Steve Taylor, director of Lipscomb’s School of Theatre and Cinematic Arts.

Kroll’s interest in animation was shaped early on by her love of storytelling and art. Growing up in Nashville, she was deeply influenced by classic Disney films and encouraged by a high school art teacher to pursue art professionally. Initially set on a career in biology, a job-shadowing experience at Big Idea Productions and a tour of Southern Adventist University’s animation program led her to follow her calling to the craft of animation. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in character animation with minors in Italian and art history at Southern Adventist, including a year-long study abroad program in Florence, Italy, before choosing Lipscomb for her graduate studies.

“When I applied to graduate schools, I was accepted by Lipscomb and another program,” Kroll said. “I was originally set on the other program, but felt called to the Christian atmosphere of Lipscomb. Being surrounded by fellow believers has been such a blessing.”

Kroll credits Lipscomb’s MFA program with preparing her for success in the competitive animation industry and in her career.

“I am so glad I chose Lipscomb. The level of one-on-one collaboration and dedication from the faculty has made me a better creative filmmaker,” she said. “The program is so encouraging and uses its resources to connect students with job opportunities and bring in professional artists for lectures and mentorship on projects. Each student can pursue the direction they feel most passionate about and are set up for success.”

Benefits of the program include preparing students to be leaders in various industry roles, faculty who stay current on industry happenings, and provide students with networking opportunities and the ability to showcase their skills at industry-wide events like Lightbox Expo, Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and the Animation Y'all Expo.

Melissa Forte, assistant dean for graduate programming in Lipscomb’s George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts, praised Kroll’s achievements.

“A graduate degree is, very much, an investment — and The Piano is the return,” Forte said. “Avery’s success at just getting selected to compete at Tribeca proves that at Lipscomb, students don't just earn a diploma — they have the opportunity to leave with a career-defining project, with the full support of faculty, peers and professional guidance every step of the way.”

Veteran Disney animator Tony Bancroft, program director for Lipscomb’s graduate animation program who served as The Piano's executive producer, reflected on Kroll’s journey from concept to creation.

“Our goal in the MFA is to help students go to the next level — to produce a short film or pitch a series or feature project,” said Bancroft. “Avery came into Lipscomb’s MFA program with a seed of an idea, and now, 2 1/2 years later, it has blossomed into a professional-quality, emotionally impactful short film. I’m happy to have been part of helping her achieve this dream.”

The creation of The Piano has been a labor of love for Kroll and her team. Work on the project spanned nearly four years and included contributions from artists around the world.

“It is amazing to think of how much work has gone into something that is just over seven minutes long,” Kroll shared. “I have been blown away by all of the support and generosity of the artists working on this project. They are so passionate about this story and have moved mountains to help us complete this story. I look forward to continuing to collaborate and taking  this momentum to different projects.”

Kroll said she submitted The Piano to Tribeca on a whim, taking advantage of the festival’s work-in-progress submission category. To her surprise, the film was selected, handpicked by actress and producer Whoopi Goldberg as part of a curated set of animated shorts.

She will travel to New York City to attend the festival along with several team members. “We are super excited to share this story with the world,” she said. 
 

The Piano is the latest project that Kroll has been involved in that has received critical acclaim. During her junior year in undergraduate school — 2020-2021 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, she worked on a collaborative short film project with two other students. They created a CG-animated short film called Knock Knock, a story about a pair of students at school during Covid and how they find a way to communicate despite wearing masks and separated through sheets of plexiglass. The short film won several awards including SONScreen Film Festival (2021): “Best Animated Short,” “Audience Choice Award” and “Best in Festival;” and Windrider Summit at Sundance (2022): Windrider - “Best Undergraduate Student Film.”

More recently, Kroll worked as a storyboard artist and animation lead on another collaborative short film with other Lipscomb graduate and undergrad students at Lipscomb called The Legend of Bill, written and directed by Jacob Birmingham. (Read more about this project here.) This 2D and CG animated short film was completed in 2024. It has been selected, nominated or awarded at more than 15 international festivals, including the prestigious Newport Beach Film Festival and the Los Angeles Animated Film Fest (LAAF), both in California.

Kroll believes animation is a powerful medium that makes a lasting impact on audiences.

“There is something about animation that resonates on a level that no other medium can. It is hard to explain, but is felt. Ask anyone on the street what movie resonated with them as a kid, and almost always it is an animated film,” explained Kroll. “Regardless of the visuals, it is the story that matters.”

“I believe being a storyteller is an act of service. At its core, the purpose of a story is to pass on survival information about life’s journey. A responsibility of the animator to the audience is to speak the truth, be vulnerable and share their own story in the process,” she continued. “It is a painful and beautiful struggle but presents the opportunity to resonate, inspire and make a difference in someone’s life. It is that opportunity to make an impact and connect that makes the process worthwhile and meaningful to me.”

Following graduation Kroll plans to remain in Nashville for the time being, teaching, freelancing and submitting The Piano to festivals nationwide. She hopes the short’s success will open doors for career opportunities for everyone who worked on the project.

Learn more about the George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts’ graduate programs.