Feb 19, 2024

Watch Ross Stringer's "Crab Day," winner of the BAFTA British Animated Short Film Award, over the weekend

Ross Stringer's "Crab Day" won the BAFTA British Short Animation Award over the weekend and was released on the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' Youtube channel.

In the film, a boy growing up in a village of crab fishermen delays his rite of passage as a man by refusing to kill the crustaceans he catches.

A coming-of-age story, "Crab Day" requires no dialogue, minimal stick figure sketches, and nearly monochromatic colors to tell a rich and rewarding story. The film's aesthetic appeal is further enhanced by a playful soundtrack that keeps things light as the stakes get bigger and bigger.

Critics of the short have drawn comparisons to "How to Train Your Dragon" and "The Sea Beast," which I think are apt. Nevertheless, "The Day of the Crab" is not completely devoid of fantasy elements, and while it does not end with a climax, it takes a more down-to-earth approach.