Sunday Short Theatre – The Boy Who Cheated Death

It was so good to bring back Sunday Short Theatre and from the reaction our followers enjoyed it as well. This week’s is The Boy Who Cheated Death, an animated short from Phuong Pipou Nguyen.

This animated short focuses on the strength of the bond between mother and child. Nguyen is a French based Vietnamese filmmaker created using various animated styles and mix media. The Boy Who Cheated Death is a 5 minute poignant film delves into that mother’s love and her 8 year old son. Het attempts to his his mother from death itself and clearly shows no matter how much he runs death will always be waiting for you. Death itself becomes like a predator animal and eventually Time becomes that predator.

The fear of what awaits us when it’s our time which drives many adults do everything to delay what is coming. No surgery or ‘superfood’ or beauty products will save us and it’s heart breaking this is seen from a young boy. His mother attempts to comfort him, guide him and the little film isn’t to make you sad but accept life is fragile.

Using the different style does help give this film emotional weight. 2D, 3D animation as well as stop animation, throw in great sound design (plus original music from Antoine Duchêne). Impactful on it’s delivery hearing what you need to hear, usually from the boy’s perspective.

In a world blurring reality and imagination, Syd, a little 8-year-old boy tries to hide his mother from Death. They embark on a hide-and-seek game as creatures of earth, Death being their predator. Finally, Death becomes the ultimate predator: Time.

Source: Short Of The Week