Every Child

Apparently, this won the best animated short film at the Academy Awards. It is apparently a political over an artistic choice. It involves the passing off of a baby who appears on a doorstep. Each house has a reason to dispose of the child quickly, even when guilt enters in. I just found it rather lacking star quality.

In 1979, the United Nations and its program UNICEF started a fund-raising campaign that designated the year as, "The Year of the Child". That campaign is referenced by this short at the very beginning. The short went on to win the Academy Award and is an incredibly moving look at one child's journey. The title refers to the concept that every child is entitled to a name and a personal identity as an individual as well as humane treatment. I'm very glad to see that this is in-print and it is most highly recommended. Possibly the best thing the National Film Board of Canada has ever produced, at least to date.

Made for the UN International Year of the Child, I saw this short almost twenty years ago at a theatre in Frankfurt Germany. It was played before the main feature. I have longed to see it again because it was so funny. Fans of animation should catch this classic! Funny for all ages.

This animated short follows an unwanted baby who is passed from house to house until he is taken in and cared for by two homeless men; it illustrates one of the ten principles of the Declaration of Children's Rights: every child is entitled to a name and a nationality.

A segment from an UNICEF sponsored film created by the National Film Board of Canada in order to promote the Declaration of Children's Rights.

Also known as: The most innovative alternative to the Foley Artist.

Which was the most interesting aspect of this zero coherent dialogue film.

Spoilers (not really): The aforementioned "two homeless men" turn out to be none other than two ingenious mime artists that use only their bodies to convey a plentitude of endless sound expressions once may need to hear to believe.

They are Bernard Carez and Patrice Arbour, also known as Les Mîmes Électriques (The Electric Mimes), the pair of virtuosos that makes these six minutes worth watching. Had these two made up the entirety of the six minutes, the star rating would have been at least doubled.

Produced to contribute to an UN initiative, this short feature sees a young child sitting on the lap of one of two sound effects artists in a radio studio and then takes us on an animated journey as this mischievous and curious baby manages to get itself passed from pillar to post, anonymously, unable to find anyone who wished to keep it. It can be a little poignant at times. People would rather focus on their work, or keep their pet or a romanic liaison - indeed just about any excuse to, well, be excused. Funny how it's usually those who have the least that give most... Quite a sad indictment, really - but nicely animated.