Since the early 2000’s, Giovanna has worked on several feature films across Europe as both a storyboard artist and animator. She has worked with Cartoon Saloon on a number of projects, including Song of The Sea, The Breadwinner, Wolfwalkers, and the Star Wars: Visions episode Screecher’s Reach.

She was head of story and animation director on My Father’s Dragon, directed by Nora Twomey. She is currently working as the head of story on a feature film in development in the studio.

Giovanna was awarded an Emile Award in 2018 for her storyboards on The Breadwinner and an Irish Animation Award in 2023 for My Father’s Dragon.

Nora’s passion for visual storytelling began at an early age and has led her to explore the medium of animation with her collaborators in Cartoon Saloon in Kilkenny, Ireland. From the studio’s early years, directing award winning short films & commercials, she went on to co-direct Tomm Moore’s Academy Award® nominated The Secret of Kells while also guiding the development processes on a number of series including the preschool show Puffin Rock.

She directed The Breadwinner, which was nominated for an Academy Award® & Golden Globe®, and won several international awards including the Best Indie Feature Annie and the Audience & Jury Awards at Annecy. Nora most recently directed My Father’s Dragon feature film, a Netflix original animated feature, inspired by the Newbery Award winning children’s book by Ruth Stiles Gannett.

She continues to collaborate with her creative partners Tomm Moore and Paul Young as a director, producer, editor, writer, production artist and voice director, depending on the needs of each production.

Melanie is an award-winning creative, educator and entrepreneur with a passion for justice, equality and storytelling.

In 2016 she founded HerStory, spearheading Herstory on RTÉ -the first comprehensive women’s storytelling platform on Ireland’s national broadcaster; Blazing a Trail – the first women’s exhibition to tour the Irish Embassy network worldwide; and the campaign to make Brigid’s Day Ireland’s first national holiday named after a woman.

A Compassionate Feminist, she believes we can turn the war of the sexes into a dance to equality. On RTÉ Culture she explores her personal migration story and the inspiration behind our Movement project. A born naturalist, her quest for authentic stories led her to Borneo where she immersed in the indigenous Dayak culture and made lifelong friends with the guardians of the Borneo rainforest.

In 2024, Melanie started Our Story.