Sincerity is Somewhere Inside Us

Adult life is a strange thing. It often feels different than it actually turns out.

As a child, you look at life with wide eyes. We stretch our arms to everything: to a flower and a butterfly, to a puppy and a kitten, to a cloud in the sky. We have fun and we laugh. And if we fall and scratch our knee, then we burst into tears loudly, so that someone will definitely come running and feel bad for us with us. Because it hurts!

Childish friendship with each other is fun and innocent. Today I am friends with you and will share a delicious candy. Ah, did you go to play with Petr? That’s it, I’m not friends with you anymore! Not even a little. And we really believe that we are no longer friends. And our friend believes it too. But tomorrow we are already reconciled. And again we will be friends and fight, laugh and cry, jump and run…

But time goes by and we grow. And the game of life is getting harder. We begin to understand that you should not smile so easily on the street, otherwise they will take you for a simpleton fool. Yes, and you shouldn’t cry either — what am I, some kind of weakling, really? The first nuts are being tightened, the first masks are being put on.

And then 10, 20, 30 years pass. And we don’t recognize the person. There are no longer causeless tears and smiles, there is no undisguised naked curiosity for the world. There is no naive “I am no longer friends with you” — more sophisticated schemes are already working here, trickier and more cunning. And you can’t stop this process. Society, sir! You should pay attention to it.

This topic is, in general, very, very sad. Even more philosophical and melancholy. But how wonderfully it was presented by a couple of animators from Hungary! I don’t know what made me smile more when I watched their 2014 animated short film “Appearance and Reality”. Probably everything in general: very nice 2D animation, fun laid-back music, funny characters and a simple plot. The story is really simple and familiar to everyone. An ordinary day, a person goes somewhere about his business and along the way enjoys the world around him. But then he meets a “good” friend. A few phrases, and there is no trace of a good mood, although the main character does not show it. Admit it, familiar story? Of course, friend.

There are two more characters here – a child and a dog. Roles, it would seem, quite episodic, but very important. Largely due to the way they see this world – and they see it very simple and beautiful.

After watching, the thought appeared that many social problems can be beaten in a very, very positive way. And maybe that’s what you should do sometimes. Now a large number of dramatic and tragic films are being released on acute topics, after which all that remains is to sigh and indulge in gloomy reflections on the futility of being. But in the case of the film “Appearance and Reality” after viewing, a very pleasant and light aftertaste remains.

I would definitely recommend this short film for both adults and children. After all, the moral of this story is the key to sincere relationships among people. Don’t judge a person by their appearance. A gloomy-looking silent person can turn out to be a surprisingly cheerful person, and behind a wide smile and a benevolent tone, a deadly poison for the human soul can sometimes be hidden.

Complete collection of author animations from the FAAF.