BE STRONG, BE KIND

The theme of this reel is empathy which allows us to understand and share the feelings of others anywhere in the world. Some people have it, while others… Well, let’s just say they might need more practice.

Films and film line-up are subject to change without notice.

BENCH – Sometimes body language can be grossly misunderstood with not so subtle consequences.  (2021 / 2 mins / UK / dir. Rich Webber / no dialogue)

DON’T BLOW UP – Two girls get their feelings hurt while playing ball. As they puff up their chests with so much indignation they eventually take flight like balloons of anger. (2022 / 8 mins / Czech Republic / dir. Alžbeta Mačáková Mišejková / no dialogue)

FOX FOR EDGAR – Edgar is not getting a lot of attention and affection from his parents, as they prefer spending time with their smartphones and laptops than with their son. In the forest, a fox helps lonely Edgar until his parents suddenly get a wake-up call. (2021 / 8 mins / Germany / dir Pauline Kortmann / no dialogue)

FRANZY’S SOUP KITCHEN (La Soupe de Franzy) – Lonely alien Chef Franzy discovers that her special pink soup is not just delicious, but also magical. When she shares it with hungry creatures living on a strange planet she makes friends for a lifetime!  (2021 / 8.5 mins / Georgia / dir. Ana Chubinidze / no dialogue)

JOYCE’S NEIGHBORHOOD – “No other parents were that fun. Everybody wanted to be at our house.” Mary Mills grew up as an only child in the 1960s in a quiet neighborhood near Santa Monica, California. Although Mary didn’t have siblings to play with, she was never lonely. There were plenty of children nearby, and they all wanted to be at her house to hang out with Mary’s mother, Joyce Carter Mills. At StoryCorps, Mary brought her mom to tell her why she was “the mom every other kid wanted.”  (2021 / 3 mins / USA / dir. Richard O’Connor / in English)

STEP BY STEP – A little rain boot wakes up alone on a river’s bank. On her journey through the forest she needs to overcome many challenges to find her way back home. Friends in need are friends indeed. With a little mouse for a companion she is able to make it home.  (2021 / 7.5 mins / France / dirs. Fanny Paoli, Anabelle David, Emma Gach, Claire Robert, Julie Valentin, Thēodore Janvier / no dialogue)

SWING – In a world of toys a wooden robot feels lonely. Suddenly another robot appears but he or she doesn’t want anything about him. He has to find a way to relate compatibly… which taps into the answer.  (2022 / 5 mins / Spain / dir. Ignasi Tarruella / no dialogue)

T-REX – If you have dinosaur hands basketball might not be your sport.  (2022 / 3.5 mins / Germany / dir. Julia Ocker / no dialogue)

THÉO THE WATER TOWER (Théo le château d’eau) – Its not everyday you meet a sad water tower. There’s no hope of consoling him until circumstances arise that demonstrate how the village needs him more than they know. (2022 / 8.5 mins / France / dir. Jaimeen Desai / in English)

TIGER – The tiger is supposed to perform a daring circus trick but he’s too scared to go through with it. Nobody is really sure whose side the spotlight is on. (2022 / 3.5 mins / Germany / dir. Julia Ocker / no dialogue)