May-Lynn Le’s Headspace is a Window into the Warped Mind of a Young Girl
By Rishi Mulloth Depression is an invisible affliction. It is difficult to spot because on the outside everything can seem fine, but underneath the surface there is a great deal of pain and suffering. This is what makes this disease very difficult to detect and treat. The short film Headspace peers into the mind of a young girl struggling with her own intrusive thoughts, causing her to feel helpless and alone. It begins with a girl...
Smallie Explores the Effects of Going an Unconventional Route
By Ethan Thomas Throughout our lives, we are always directed to follow a common or likely path to success. However, there are often other paths to success that are not encouraged or even promoted. The animated short film Smallie looks at what could happen if one were to choose a different, unconventional way. Smallie is curated for Planet Classroom by LXL Ideas. The film was written and directed by Sanyam Jain who was only 14...
Sand Dredging in Cambodia Threatens to Destroy a Community’s Way of Life
By Rishi Mulloth Many people only hear about the ecological destruction that is occurring across the globe, but some have to live in it, watching as their homes and livelihoods are threatened by outside interests. The coastal people of Cambodia are suffering through this now as they watch tons of sand being dredged from the mangrove forests to support a country they do not call home. This environmental damage not only impacts the...
Shadow Presents a Unique, Honest View of Childhood and the Loss of Innocence
By Ethan Thomas A tremendous amount of growth and learning takes place in the formative years of a child’s life. Shadow, an animated, experimental story by filmmaker Morning M. Wu, explores some of the struggles and realities of this period including the loss of innocence. Wu uses a visually rich animation style in her short film to address innocence and loss in an original, bold, and engaging way. The film can serve as a reminder of...
Beyond the Pipeline Takes an In-depth Look at the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Dakota Access Pipeline
By Ethan Thomas The Standing Rock Sioux tribe has opposed the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline since learning about it in 2012. The tribe argues that the pipeline will be harmful for their people and the natural environment where they live. Directed by filmmaker and activist Paul Redman, Beyond the Pipeline follows several members of the tribe and their efforts to stop the construction of the pipeline. The story is...
In A Not So Grand Day Out, a Girl Finds Trouble in an Unsuspecting Rose Garden
By Rishi Mulloth The forest can be a magical place, but one must be wary because there is always danger lurking nearby. The best advice that can be offered is always heed the warning signs. In the stop-motion animated short film, A Not So Grand Day Out, a young girl learns this lesson harshly. She comes across a lovely little rose garden with a sign posted out front. However, these roses aren’t normal. They are alive and...
Recent Comments