Name: Les lèvres gercées
Genre: Animation, Short, Drama
Released: 2018-12-13
Duration: 5 min
Rating: 7.1
Cast: Johanna Korthals Altes, Véronique Augereau, Lou Broclain

Delicately handled to make the key moment more meaningful without overegging it

This short animation deals with transgender issues in terms of how they affect one person in one situation, but more generally of course the one experience here is far from unique; what I mean is more that it looks at it on a personal level, not politics, or with lots of debate over trans people in sports, what bathroom can be used, or anything like that - and instead looks at the person. This person is a teenage boy who fails to talk to his parents; his father is never in the film as he is working late one presumes, and the mother is busy and distracted at best - and sees her sons situation as an inconvenience to her at worst. It is these series of small moments that lead to the final moment, which finally impacts the mother, and this moment in the film is better for the way it is built to.

By seeing the reaction of the mother, her inability to see something is wrong, it is easy to see her side because I think many people would be there at least to some degree - at very least it would be 'normal' to be so busy that there is not a natural space for a child to coax their way to broaching such a topic. Likewise, while not a reaction I'd hope to find in myself - I can at least recognize the frustration at a child "playing up" and how that frustration would take pole position ahead of a thoughtful attempt to understand a teenager's actions. At the same time the film lets us see the teen's struggles well - so we carry both into that final moment; a final moment which is impacting for its simplicity and lack of melodrama and fireworks.

Well worth seeing for its delicate simplicity.

The adult animation subgenre is aimed at mature audiences, typically consisting of content that explores complex themes, mature storytelling, and may include explicit language, violence, sexual content, or other adult-oriented elements. Unlike traditional animation that is often associated with family-friendly or children's content, adult animation caters to grown-up viewers who appreciate more sophisticated and often darker narratives.

Seth Green, Mila Kunis, Alex Borstein, and Seth MacFarlane in Family Guy (1999)

The coming-of-age subgenre features personal growth, maturation, and self-discovery of a young protagonist as they navigate the challenges and transitions of adolescence into adulthood. These stories often revolve around characters experiencing pivotal moments, gaining new insights, and learning valuable life lessons as they transition from childhood to maturity.

The psychological drama subgenre features intricate workings of the human mind, emotions, and psychological states. These dramas delve into characters' inner thoughts, perceptions, motivations, and often involve complex narratives and emotional depth, aiming to engage the audience's intellect and emotions simultaneously.

Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Animation is a form of visual storytelling that involves creating visual art and motion through the use of various techniques and technologies. In animation, images are manipulated to create the illusion of movement, bringing characters, objects, and environments to life. Animation can encompass a wide range of styles, themes, and intended audiences, making it a diverse and versatile form of storytelling.

Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

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In a kitchen, a mother and a child struggle to establish dialogue.

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Les lèvres gercées

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