Anima

Thom Yorke’s Surreal Netflix Experiment: The Making of Anima (2019)

Thom Yorke’s Anima (2019) is one of Netflix’s most enigmatic releases—a 15-minute visual tone poem that blurs the line between music video and short film. Directed by frequent Radiohead collaborator Paul Thomas Anderson (uncredited in the available evidence but widely rumored), the project pairs Yorke’s third solo album of the same name with a dreamlike narrative set in a dystopian, bureaucratic world. While details about its production remain scarce, the fragments that have surfaced paint a picture of an experimental passion project, latestnetflix.com maintains, not a typical studio-backed film.

A Collaboration Born of Creative Synergy

Anima marks the latest in a long creative partnership between Yorke and Anderson, who previously worked together on Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool (2016) visuals and the 2015 documentary Junun. The Netflix short expands on the themes of Yorke’s 2019 album, which explores isolation, surveillance, and existential dread—fitting for a project that feels like a fever dream of Kafka meets Metropolis.

The film’s cast includes Yorke alongside Dajana Roncione (his partner at the time), Frida Dam Seidel, and a mix of dancers and actors, all moving in eerie, choreographed unison. The lack of dialogue and reliance on visual storytelling suggest Anderson’s signature style, though neither he nor Netflix has officially confirmed his involvement in the credits . Rumors persist, however, given the project’s aesthetic and Yorke’s past collaborations.

Behind the Scenes: A Low-Key Shoot

Unlike blockbuster productions, Anima appears to have been a lean, experimental shoot. A behind-the-scenes clip from GWTV.UK shows Yorke on set, discussing the project’s improvisational nature. He describes the process as "trying to make something that feels alive," hinting at a lack of rigid scripting in favor of organic movement and mood . The film’s surreal, glitchy aesthetic—including a notorious Netflix playback error that briefly became part of its lore—reinforces the idea of a project unbound by conventional filmmaking rules .

The short’s release was timed with the album’s debut, dropping digitally on June 27, 2019, via XL Recordings, followed by a Netflix premiere the same day . This dual rollout suggests a deliberate fusion of music and visuals, though Yorke has downplayed the film’s narrative, calling it "a series of impressions" rather than a linear story .

Reception: A Cult Favorite or a Missed Opportunity?

Anima’s reception has been polarizing. Fans of Yorke’s experimental work and Anderson’s filmography have praised its atmospheric ambition, while others have found it impenetrable. The SensCritique album page (which conflates the film and soundtrack) gives it a 7.3/10 rating, though it’s unclear how much of that reflects the visual component . Critics have noted the film’s striking cinematography and Yorke’s haunting performance, but its brevity and abstract storytelling leave some viewers wanting more.

One undeniable takeaway? Anima feels like a passion project—one that prioritizes mood over accessibility. Whether it’s a cult classic in the making or a footnote in Yorke and Anderson’s careers remains to be seen, but its existence proves that even in the streaming era, artists are still pushing boundaries.