In a marvellous world made up of watercolours that bring out all the beauty and nuances in the sea and sky, Gabriel Hénot-Lefèvre relates the story of an unusual friendship between an old man and a seagull. It’s rare to find an animated short film aimed at young people where the main character is elderly and the story is not about the relationship between the old person and their children or grandchildren. Here the director shows with great tact and compassion the weary bodies and loneliness of old age. And then a seagull comes along and a sort of partnership is gradually formed with the main character, little by little adding texture and new purpose to the story. It all leads to a wonderful payoff that shows amazement is an emotion that can arrive at any time in life. The score by Olivier Militon contributes much to the quite melancholic sweetness of this moving film about the way time slips away ...
