Strange, Wonderful by Stephanie Swart
The title of this film describes it well; it is strange and wonderful on all accounts. Though hand-drawn, the character design, environment, and overall look of the film is unconventional, using flickering color and wavering lines to create energy in the frame. The two contrasting styles also support the separation of the main character from the world around her:
The story seems at first to be made of loosely related scenes, but as we watch, the psychological underpinnings of the character’s isolation become more apparent and a narrative arc emerges. the opening credits through a hazy circle don’t make sense until part way through the film when the little monster dons her fishbowl helmet and we realize she has a unique way of existing in the world — one that is strange and wonderful.
A particularly sophisticated moment is at 02:13. When the children on the playground stop their games abruptly, the audience has a moment of expectation, wondering what strange thing we are about to see. When we see the little monster come outside with the fishbowl helmet, we remember the previous shot, and make the connection between perception and reality:
I love the background artwork that alludes to childish drawings but also includes the attentive detail of a school classroom. I think the film also speak to a universal theme — that of not belonging. Even though the main character is a little monster, the film will connect with the strange and wonderful part of us all.
