The last program at Toronto Youth Shorts to screen tonight is the TRANSITIONS program. The short films’ themes range from growing up to growing old. They also attempt to examine the concepts, knowledge, and understandings we gain and all the changes that come with it while hurdling through a wide range of emotions.
Our Missing Pieces – Rating 3/5
Directed By Myles Milne
Produced By Matthew Evans
Four moments of quiet intimacy in the busy metropolis of Tokyo, Japan.
Milne takes us to Tokyo to explore the intricacies, ups and downs of four varying relationships. The nervousness of a first sexual experience. The secrets that can make or break a romantic relationship. Unrequited and lost loves. All these intertwine in this charming short film.
From narrative to sound to cinematography, all elements work well together in this film. The stories are personal, relatable, and just the right length to keep you wondering… what happened next?
Goree – Rating 3.5/5
Directed By Haaris Qadri
Produced By Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival
Fathima struggles to understand her mother’s cultural expectations of beauty.
Qadri introduces us to 9-year-old Fathima (Hritika Verma); a Pakistani Canadian girl who like most kids her age wants to be with friends outside playing and having fun. Unfortunately, her mother has a problem with Fathima getting too much sun because that will make her skin darker. Fathima, however, does not understand her mother’s concept of skin beauty. Sadly, it is when Fathima’s grandmother comes to visit that she starts believing the concept of lighter skin equals beautiful.
The film clearly makes us think about what is beautiful and how culture along with familial pressures affect how we view ourselves.. especially as beautiful women. A shout out to Verma for her role as Fathima, a good performance that shows us the pressures these expectations create in a young girl’s mind. A well crafted short film.
Why Do Flowers Die? – Rating 3/5
Directed By Annie Amaya
Rose begins to question why people give flowers as gifts when her own start to die.
This charming, animated short film makes us question our reasons behind choosing flowers as gifts in an effort to make others feel better. Like the little girl in the film, Rose, do you not wonder why we give these gifts that wilt so quickly and are so short lived? But there is more to giving flowers than we might have considered.
In the film, Amaya shares the story of Rose and her mother. They live happily and modestly. Mom cares for Rose, while Rose displays her affection for her mother through the flowers she picks everyday. It is a simple story but with a lot of meaning. The animation complements the story quite well, and so does the music. I encourage you to read more about this film in this article written by Amaya herself.
The TRANSITIONS program screens this evening, August 12th, 6pm at Innis College. For full festival info, and ticket information, please visit torontoyouthshorts.ca.
Photos courtesy of Toronto Youth Shorts.
