Anja Mánou Hellem is a Norwegian animation director working with content for children and young audiences. Her work combines emotion, curiosity, and a playful visual style to explore big ideas through young perspectives. She directed the Prix Jeunesse-nominated Life in the Kindergarten (2020), as well as the animated short film Departed (”Det går en båt”), which was selected for the Kristiansand International Children’s Film Festival in 2026.
Over the past decade, Anja has worked across animated series, short films, and television. With a deep curiosity for how the world works, she often weaves elements of science, history, and philosophy into her storytelling, creating stories that invite young audiences to wonder, feel, and discover.