Matthew Gravelle’s clever and aesthetically superb short film manages to communicate themes of solidarity and inclusion even though the main characters are a set of creaky kitchen taps. The three taps, lined next to each other, make a musical … [Read more...]
On the Trail
There are very few wordless picturebooks produced in the Baltic region. Indeed, this work, by Anna Ring and published by the Estonian Comics Society, is the only contemporary example of the form. It is a pleasure to explore the wonderful world … [Read more...]
Once Upon a Snowstorm
A harsh winter landscape is the centre-piece of this story, as a little boy gets lost in the woods as snow falls. Collecting wood with his father, the pair are separated when a blizzard descends upon the otherwise idyllic scene. The boy takes shelter … [Read more...]
Owl Bat, Bat Owl
Children aged 4-7 years old will find plenty to discuss in this story of sameness and difference. A family of owls are disturbed when a family of bats come to share the other side of their tree branch. At first the two families have nothing in common … [Read more...]
Piccolo Concerto
This film uses musicality to express themes of social cohesion and social identity. A band of instruments are playing their familiar song, but a little flute is unable able to play along. Instead, he must go and find his own music. The focus on … [Read more...]
Miriami kodutu koer [Miriam’s Stray Dog]
This film is taken from the long-running Miriam series by celebrated Baltic studio Nukufilm in Tallinn, Estonia. This film is important as a realistic stop-motion depiction of contemporary life in Estonia: Miriam and her happy family have a normal … [Read more...]
Mobile
A big toy cow hangs at the end of a mobile above a crib. At the other end, there are smaller toys hanging together. The mobile hangs at a delicate balance, and when the cow tries to get closer to her friends, the balance is skewed. This charming, … [Read more...]
Neighbourwood
This charming German CGI film features a wise old owl, the latest in a long line of prestigious academics. Under the weight of his ancestry and cultural heritage, he becomes frustrated by the arrival of a new neighbour, the woodpecker, who moves onto … [Read more...]
November [Novembre]
The animals that live along a riverbank prepare for a long, cold winter in this gently told, beautifully animated short film by Swiss animator Marjolaine Perreten. Perreten also created Super Grand [Super Big]. As the rain falls and the sky grows … [Read more...]
