The shorts programme of Animated Shorts for Younger Audiences at BFI London Film Festival is the best way to connect with your younger self, or introduce young audiences to the world of short films. The variety of stories is dizzying, but they all bring something special into the mix.
One of the short films reviewed below, Yuck (2024), does not appear in the physical programme. However, it is still in the online version, so hopefully you’ll be able to enjoy it too if you go to the event. The programme features ten shorts, each of them with its own theme and conclusions, the diversity is more than good enough to keep even the most hyperactive kid engaged.
Without further ado, here are the reviews of said shorts:
Coo-Rage
- Year of production: 2024
- Director: Alina Milkina.
- Writer: Britt Snel.
- Producer: Peter Lindhout.
Synopsis
The pigeons want to make a housing petition to the town hall, who’s currently offering homes.
Review
Coo-Rage is, quite surprisingly, not about cows. This might be incredibly misleading for Scottish audiences, but it is actually about pigeons. You heard right, the flying rats that steal food from smaller birds and defecate on your new coat.
This short film is on the side of love and peace, showcasing pigeons as misunderstood animals who can’t find a home. While slightly limited, this view is perfect to show children some empathy and the importance of treating animals with love and respect. It is definitely a story that not everyone can get behind, but it is sweet and very well drawn nonetheless.
Love at First Waf
- Year of production: 2023
- Directors: Louise Le Toullec and Hélène Gouil.
- Writers: Louise Le Toullec and Hélène Gouil.
Synopsis
A dog walker is catfished by a dog and learns about not judging by appearances.
Review
Love at First Waf is the type of story that won’t change your life or teach you any valuable lesson. It is a video full of bright colours animated by some simple manga with zero details. It feels like a really simplified video game, only you can’t make any decisions.
After showing children the meaning of catfishing, the video proceeds to teach them how appearances can be deceiving at first and one has to… accept being catfished? Finalising with the ever-French ‘smoking is so cool’ message in the credits. Is it necessary or even appropriate to teach children how cool you look if you smoke? Let’s leave for you to decide.
Who’s wrong? (Vems fel?)
- Year of production: 2024
- Directors: Stina Wirsén and Linda Hambäck.
- Writer: Stina Wirsén.
Synopsis
Kids at show-and-tell get jealous and act up.
Review
Who’s Wrong? (Vems fel?) is a lovely exploration of childhood and children’s inability to control their impulses. However, with the bad also comes the good, and children’s ability to forgive is still unparalleled with that of any adult.
The film has an unnecessary albeit endearing introduction before actually telling you the story. Once the tale officially begins, jealousy and violence fill the screen, showing the worst traits of children. Nevertheless, the short chooses to end in a sweet note, also showcasing the best of the youth.
While it is not a life changing short, this piece is quite important in terms of making children feel seen, especially at a very young age, when even they don’t fully understand why they have the visceral reactions that they do.
The Brave Locomotive
- Year of production: 2023
- Director: Andrew Chesworth.
- Writer: Andrew Chesworth.
- Producer: Andrew Chesworth.
Synopsis
A coal locomotive is substituted for a newer model. Tragedy ensues.
Review
The Brave Locomotive is a beautiful, Disney-like short film that talks about the adventures of a coal locomotive and how it earned the nickname of ‘The Brave Locomotive’. The animation is incredibly classic and detailed, much like any early Disney or Looney Tunes products. The characters are incredibly expressive. Their design uses geometry as its biggest tool to facilitate an instant link between character and personality without the need of a long introduction.
The soundtrack is gorgeous and old-school, taking you back to the same period of the story and making the whole tale a lot more immersive and fun. Thanks to both music and expressions, there is no real need for dialogues, which makes the whole film completely universal and easy to follow for kids of any age.
Overall, The Brave Locomotive is a great piece of entertainment, with highs and lows, like any good film should have.
The Odd Carrot
- Year of production: 2024
- Director: Inese Pavēne.
- Writer: Māris Putniņš.
- Producer: Dace Rīdūze.
Synopsis
Two starving rabbits find a special type of carrot that will give them the protection they need.
Review
Despite being in Latvian, The Odd Carrot is really easy to follow. The light, fun story follows a couple of rabbits who always get bullied by bigger animals until they come across the secret weapon that they needed. Confusing a beet with a carrot, they get all covered in red while eating, making their usual predators run away in fear.
The whole narrative is a very clever way to put vegetables in a great light, possibly even encouraging children to eat them just for the fun of getting all messy. While yours truly is not versed in Latvian, the characters’ expression and body language make the communication effective enough to follow the story with no problem.
Overall, The Odd Carrot is a charming stopmotion short film that will delight younger audiences and entertain adult ones too.
Freelance
- Year of production: 2024
- Directors: Luciano A. Muñoz Sessaregom, Peter Smith and Magnus I. Møller.
- Writers: Luciano A. Muñoz Sessaregom, Peter Smith and Magnus I. Møller.
Synopsis
A freelance knight has a hard time satisfying a very important client.
Review
Now this film would be the perfect replacement for Dragfox (2024) in the comedy programme of LFF. While the aformentioned short film teached a valuable lesson for kids, this short, hilarious as it is, speaks a lot more to adults than it does to children. After all, they are lucky enough to not know how horribly frustrating the life of a freelancer can be.
The animation fits the mood of the film perfectly. Both characters and repetitions showcasing all the emotions and hard work that go into a freelance project. The ending, while predictable, is satisfying and amusing, closing a very well-rounded work.
Yuck! (Beurk!)
- Year of production: 2024
- Director: Loïc Espuche.
- Writer: Loïc Espuche.
- Producers: Juliette Marquet and Manon Messiant.
Synopsis
A group of kids are obsessed with watching people kiss in the camping site they are at.
Review
Yuck! (Beurk!) tells the story of a group of kids who are spending the summer at a camping site. The typical curiosity of a young age pushes them to observe the couples that are kissing on the site while claiming to be absolutely disgusted by the action. The contradictiom between the fixation and the “disgust”, of course, completely lost on them.
The film explores the theme of sexual repression from a young age. Why are children so disgusted by something so natural? Usually children don’t like what they don’t know, which means that they will probably be against kissing if they haven’t seen it at home. Some of the children have, but one can only guess that they are merely coping the most vocal kid of the group, a fact that is confirmed by the ending.
The short taps into the supernatural by creating some sort of “love light” that makes people’s lips glow when they want to kiss someone. This detail makes the piece stand out and creates the perfect opportunity of a gorgeous long shot at the end of the story.
Overall, Yuck! (Beurk!) is a curious work that provides the opportunity to reflect on your own behaviours and taboo towards sexuality, hypocresy and displays of affection.
The Child of the Waves (L’enfant des Vagues)
- Year of production: 2023
- Directors: Valentine Hilarin, Gaelle Bejjani, Yuhan Wang, Martin Gross, Noam Szwarc and Sofian Pourquery-de-Boisserin.
- Writers: Valentine Hilarin, Gaelle Bejjani, Yuhan Wang, Martin Gross, Noam Szwarc and Sofian Pourquery-de-Boisserin.
Synopsis
Two children meet at a playground for the first time.
Martin Gross, Noam Szwarc and Sofian Pourquery-de-Boisserin, 2023).
Review
Children of the Waves (L’enfant des Vagues) tells the story of how two kids become friends. One of them is shy and has a pretty acute OCD, while the other is carefree and very emphatic. Their personalities are a match made in heaven, leading to a wonderful trip they share in their imagination.
The animation style is breathtaking and intricate, the use of light and colours representing their imagined world as well as their feelings. Both the text and storytelling are heartwarming and wonderful, delivering a story of emphathy and friendship that all children dream of having.
Hello Summer (Ahoj Leto)
- Year of production: 2024
- Directors: Martin Smatana and Veronika Zacharová.
- Writers: Martin Smatana and Veronika Zacharová.
- Producers: Martin Smatana, Martin Vandas, Kamila Dohnalová and Jean-françois Le Corre.
Synopsis
A family’s summer vaccation.
Review
Hello Summer (Ahoj Leto) showcases your average summer with the fam. The story is quite faithful to reality, the members of the family get separated and end up together, shenanigans ensue, etc.
What makes this short film special is the animation technique. A very simple crayon-looking 2D technique mixed with images of real-life objects that serve different storytelling purposes than their original use. This combination makes the visuals really interesting, keeping your attention focused for the whole duration of the film.
The colour palette screams summer, as does the lighthearted humour that is sprinkled all over the narrative. Overall, Hello Summer (Ahoj Leto) is a great feel-good short film, perfect to warm up during these cold months.
Magic Candies (Amedama)
- Year of production: 2023
- Director: Daisuke Nishio.
- Writer: Ichigo Takano.
- Producer: Takashi Washio.
Synopsis
A kid buys some magic candy that allows him to speak with all sorts of wonderful creatures and things.
Review
Magic Candies (Amedama) follows a small, lonely kid on a crazy adventure that will change his perspective of life forever. Any person and child who has been ostracised for being different or shy will strongly relate to this account. While loneliness can be comfortable, the yearning for connection is inevitable.
Thanks to the magic candies, the boy can talk with inanimate objects, animals, and even other people in a brand-new way. Through this new method of communication, he is discovered a whole new dimension of reality.
The animation is dynamic and fun. It combines textures and styles evoking the diversity of the world that surrounds the kid. The text is profound and touching, only made better by the cinematography and eloquent voiceovers.
Overall, Magic Candies (Amedama) is a beautiful adaptation of a unique piece of literature that gets you in touch with your inner child and the world around you.
Advice to take from these short films:
- Some animals can’t be redeemed, but it’s always nice to try.
- You might want to use a more universal meme in your film, if you want people to understand the reference, that is.
- Kids can be absolute monsters, but the same energy makes them capable of great kindness and empathy too.
- Any holiday can be great if you decide to make the most of it.
What’s your take? Do you fancy going to the Animated Shorts for Younger Audiences programme at BFI London Film Festival? If you are in the mood for some wholesome entertainment, I hope you got tickets for this 20th of October!
Have you watched any of these short films? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, in my contact page or through my Instagram! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀
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