Amber Films, 10 mins, 1986

The Box, is a hand-drawn animation by Judy Tomlinson, made during her time with the Amber Collective. The film follows an elderly woman navigating a changing urban landscape, confined within the physical and emotional limits of a cardboard box. With a blend of surrealism and quiet wit, it reflects the fear and isolation felt by many as traditional working-class communities gave way to unfamiliar environments in the 1960s, 70s and 80s.

Created frame by frame in Judy’s distinctive style, the film is a testament to her commitment to animation and to Amber’s broader interest in representing overlooked lives with care and imagination. Though stylistically different from much of Amber’s output, The Box shares the collective’s core concerns - everyday experience, structural change, and how they shape the individual. It remains one of the most personal works in Amber’s archive, and a fitting legacy for Judy’s warmth, humour and quiet determination.