Indy Shorts: Animals
Reviews of short films appearing in the Animals program of the Indy Shorts International Film Festival presented by Heartland.
The Indy Shorts International Film Festival runs July 20-25. Click here for more info!
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Seabird
This 20-minute documentary short is filled with beautiful imagery and a powerful message about conservation. It’s all centered around acclaimed British author Adam Nicholson, who has been visiting remote islands since he was a boy. This area was once filled with seabirds every summer but now there’s been a distressing decline in these colonies. His first-hand perspective puts an interesting perspective on the resilience of life and the upcoming ecological catastrophe that can still be avoided. I was especially moved by Nicholson’s talk about whether the problem is “too big to solve” or whether something should be done. It’s all emphasized with gorgeous visuals that really make you connect to these wonderful creatures.
Snowy
I really enjoyed this quirky documentary short, which was accepted in the Sundance Film Festival. It’s the story of a 4-inch-long pet turtle that seems to survive year after year even without sunlights or companionship. Co-directors Alex Wolf Lewis and Kaitlyn Schwalje know this turtle because it’s the pet of their Uncle Larry, who they visit every Thanksgiving just outside of Philadelphia. It might seem like a silly or frivolous story but they put a lot of heart into this tale and really delve deep into the idea of “what constitutes happiness?” and “can Snowy the Turtle be happy?”
I’m a Pebble
I loved, loved, loved the look and sound from this French-led animated short about an otter (or what appears to be one), but I didn’t really care for the story. It was confusing to follow (even without dialogue) and I just didn’t get that into it. It follows Bubble, who pushed two small stones with her knows and spends time with her family. It cascades beautifully through rain and mealtime and swimming and playing. It plays with the world of imagination and it’s up to you to figure out what’s real and what’s only pretend. It’s cute but not as good as Pixar animated shorts. I still liked it, so I gave it a fairly good grade.
Pant Hoot
Another conservation-focused documentary short but again this one puts a human face on the crisis. To make you care about the fact that the world’s chimpanzee population is dwindling, this 21-minute movie focuses on Stany Nyandwi, survivor of Burundi genocide, who is one of only a few humans to have mastered the complicated “pant hoot” chimp language. Not only do we learn so much about chimps and why they are worth saving, but we realize how close they really are to humans (and there are parallels to the human genocide that Nyandwi faced himself). Jane Goodall herself makes an appearance and this is really a great short for people that care about animals and the construction of language in general.
Little Berlin
The most unique of the bunch, this 14-minute documentary short relies on narration from two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz and recreated images to tell a story about divided Germany and a sleepy farming village. Little did I know that a story about East and West Germany can be told so well through the perspective of a bull named Peter. This bovine tragedy really captures your attention and makes you want to learn more about Germany post-World War II and the narration is full of flavor.
Just Being There
This gorgeously shot 14-minute documentary short tells the curious tale of a man who lives alone on his wooded property. Walter hasn’t ventured more than a half-mile away from his palace of solitude and is totally fulfilled by the unique friendship he’s made with a band of beavers living nearby. I absolutely loved the footage of the dam-building friends and this man’s connection with nature. Truly a gem!