Nov 16, 2023

Theo W. Scott's "Cuties," a five-minute account of the horrors and glories of human history

The best and worst of humanity past, present, and future are playfully animated in British director Theo W. Scott's five-minute short Cuties.

Beginning in a primordial morass, "Cuties" follows humanity as it evolves physically and culturally through centuries of war, famine, and competition. Hand-drawn characters eventually give way to pixel-art figures, and the short film foretells the possibilities of digital evolution. Ultimately, however, the more things change, the less they stay the same.

"Cuties" was funded by the British Film Institute and screened at numerous film festivals, including Annecy, Sitges, and the Manchester Animation Festival. Winner of the Royal Television Society Professional Excellence Award: Best Animation at the Royal Television Society Professional Excellence Awards and Best Animation at the British Short Film Awards. [The BFI partnered with Film Hub North to support the production of Cuties.