Selection

Screening: Professional Competition 4
France 2022
Duration: 05:52
Directed: Ronan SIMON
Dialogue Language: No Dialogue

"A boy and a whale take a magical trip to discover the wonders of the world. But all is not so wonderful..." One night whilst in the middle of the city, a boy is awakened by animal songs. Outside his window, a whale appears suspended in the air. Around them, nothing but underwater scenery. After a shy introduction, the boy leaves his bedroom, riding on his new friend’s back. And together, they set off and explore the wonders of the depths. Along the way they meet numerous animals: manta rays, turtles, hundreds of coloured fish in coral reefs that are full of life. Suddenly, every trace of life turns into something dead. In this sombre environment, filled with old mines, sinking petrol barrels, and shipwrecks, a fishing net turns into a monster and attacks our two heroes. The boy and the whale manage to flee and exit the water, flying like a bird. Carrying on their journey seeking the beauties of the World, they fly over beautiful beaches, luxurious rainforests, meet friendly birds, and all kinds of apes. Yet the boy’s smile is quickly wiped away as a digger shows up from nowhere, tearing any and all trees in its way, leaving behind nothing but a lifeless tarmacked road. Their journey continues in the desert, by a volcano, on the banks of an idyllic river. The whale enjoys diving in the clouds, whilst the boy meets an affectionate panda. Nature finally seems able to thrive, but our two characters meet a mother polar bear and its cub, stranded on a stray iceberg. An oil rig spits out its black liquid and the entire ice melts. Fleeing into space, our two friends observe the dying Earth. Far from the madness of Man, they discover together the Wonders of the universe. But even there, satellites crowd them out. Growing in numbers, these merge into one big monster that attacks them. The boy falls from the whale’s back, and stumbles back down towards Earth. After a long fall, the whale catches him at the last moment, and brings him back to his bedroom. The whale, who in fact was only a young one, finds its mother back. When the boy’s mum enters the bedroom, the whales have disappeared, and the city seems unchanged. Once back in bed, the boy falls back into a deep sleep, interrupted for the briefest of moments by whale song...