A young boy gets lost in a strange forest. Then his father tries to rescue him. | Boy In the Woods

» Subscribe for the world’s best short films: » Get some merch: Boy In the Woods is used with permission from Hype Animation. Learn more at . OMELETO ON SOCIAL Instagram: Twitter: Facebook: A father has a young son that he is trying to play with, but the boy has a hard time relating to his father, rejecting the toys that the dad makes for him. He prefers instead to play by himself with the same set of blocks. One day, the father heads out to the woods, followed by the young boy. But the sound of the father’s chopping distresses the boy, and he flees into the woods. But the woods are a strange place, full of mysterious blue butterflies, menacing trees and aggressive deer. The father must rescue his son, but to do so, he must learn to step into his boy’s world and understand its language. Directed by Fabiano Pandolfi, written by Jordan Nugem and produced under the auspices of Hype Studios, this animated short is a charming and expressive exploration of a young boy with autism, and the efforts of his father and protector to relate to him. Told much like a fairy tale full of strange magical forests and enchanted creatures, it uses animation’s creative fluidity to capture the delights and terrors of the young boy’s world, as well as the magical way he finds his way out of it. With no dialogue, much of the film’s emotions are transmitted by the charming 3-D animation style and the beautifully evocative musical score. The figures look as if they were carved from wood, much like the figures that the father carved for his young son, and their character movements have a certain earthbound naivete as well. Along with the bright yet earthy colors, it immerses viewers into a childlike, innocent world that’s gently radiant, though not without its fears. Part of that is the young boy’s reactivity to unfamiliar textures and shapes and loud sounds; part of that is his own intense focus, which is distressing to him when ruptured. Part of the storytelling’s achievement is portraying autism in such a natural, matter-of-fact way through its fairy-tale lens, taking what many think of as a modern diagnosis and rendering it as timeless and archetypal as any storybook hero character. It’s also touching as the father tries to connect to his son, though he makes little progress at first. But when the boy takes off into the woods, we see the world through his eyes, as large shapes transform into menacing creatures and the eye-like patterns on a butterfly wing become strange and frightening. The visual artistry transmits this world’s uncanniness and menace -- and it’s a world that the boy must find his way out of, with the help of a mysterious stag. Touching, beautiful and near timeless in its evocation of family and love, “Boy In the Woods“ once again uses the sleight-of-hand that animation allows for, revealing just how the father finds his way to his son -- bringing them closer, both in feeling and in understanding. ABOUT OMELETO Omeleto is the home of the world’s best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: A young boy gets lost in a strange forest. Then his father tries to rescue him. | Boy In the Woods Omeleto @Omeleto 🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at