Life Eternal

A young man relives the happiness that he experienced with his deceased partner.

 

By combining reality with fantasy, this emotional short animated film tells a story about a youth named Isaac (Puatu), who struggles greatly after he loses his beloved Ava (Bell). Over the course of six minutes, this film takes the viewer on a journey, exploring Isaac's devastating state and the wonderful memories that he has of Ava.

 

The narrative begins with Ava in bed at a hospital, having Isaac by her side during her final moments. After she passes, a broken Issac returns home. Some time later, his house is filled with boxes and he is unshaven and unkempt, probably because he is too sad to be concerned about his appearance. He then imagines (most likely dreams) that Ava is visiting him and the two embark on a fantastic journey that starts with the two of them flying in the night over buildings, before suddenly ending up in a film theater, where they proceed to watch scenes that depict significant experiences from their relationship, including how they met at school, how they spend time together and moved in together.

 

The short begins with the theory that a book being finished means that a part of a person's life has ended and flowers inside a vase are shown withering. These two occurrences appear to symbolise the end of a happy period and the end of a life and in regard to the story, that would be the end of Issac's time with Ava and the end of her life. Loss and grief are arguably the two main elements that this film explores and the impact is quite deep. However, the joy of remembering the good times is also significantly evident, providing an uplifting mood in an otherwise sad story.

 

Ignoring the serious themes and looking at the hand-drawn animation, the film is a pleasure to watch. The animation does not contain much detail, yet the wonderful use of colours results in gorgeous visuals, proving the creative abilities of Lighthead Studio.

 

This film would certainly not be as impactful without the addition of the music by Sarah Mac and Marc Hoad. Consisting mainly of wonderful piano melodies, the score is melancholic and beautiful and establishes a mood that supports the scenes rather effectively.

 

This is a painful but beautiful story that explores the sadness that is caused by loss, however it also points out that memories can allow the people who have passed away to be with their loved ones forever.