The Oscar-winning studio and international children’s charity mark the 1-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine with an animated film that sheds light on the plight of refugee children around the world.
The Academy Award-winning animation studio Aardman and Save the Children, an international children’s charity, have joined together to mark the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine with the release of an animated short, Home, which highlights the experience of refugee children around the world. The heartwarming 2D film uses animated characters to tell a story of a refugee child far away from home and how they feel in a new and unfamiliar environment. It also celebrates the possibilities of children welcoming new refugee friends and learning about different cultures.
Although prompted by the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the four-minute animation aims to support the millions of children who are forced to leave their homes because of violence in countries including Ukraine, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Syria.
Created by Director Peter Peake, Home will be screened in primary schools across the U.K. alongside its general release. In the short, a small orange circle arrives at a new school in an entirely purple world inhabited solely by triangular purple characters. The orange circle immediately feels out of place, struggling with the language barrier and strange new food. But, through a blossoming friendship with a fellow pupil, they begin to feel welcome and accepted. As that happens, little bursts of orange start to appear in the purple surroundings, elevating the landscape to a richer, warmer, and more diverse environment. The film then shows different characters of all shapes and hues that bring their own unique colors to the previously monochrome surroundings, transforming it into a thriving and vibrant world full of energy and color.
“Animation is an amazing medium for expressing ideas that would otherwise be difficult to communicate,” commented Aardman Co-founder and Creative Director Peter Lord CBE. “At Aardman, we believed that we had the expertise to help tell these stories in a way that would be sensitive, accessible, and relatable for children all around the world. It was also vital that the film we created would share the right messages, address a genuine need, and help as many children as possible. We approached Save the Children to help us with these aspects and to keep us on the right track, and we were absolutely delighted with the collaboration.”
As in several of Aardman’s most beloved productions – from Shaun the Sheep to Morph – the story in Home is told without dialogue, making its message universally accessible. By transcending language barriers, the film illustrates the enrichment of our world when everyone feels welcome.
“Our film was created as a specific response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, but it aims to help all children displaced from their homes due to war, famine, and persecution,” shared Peake. “Working with Save the Children, we learned what difficulties children face when trying to settle in a new country. Ultimately, we hope the film encourages children everywhere to empathize with some of their peers who might be going through that experience and to know the impact they can have by making someone feel welcome.”
Alison Griffin, Head of Conflict & Humanitarian Campaigns from Save the Children, added, “We were absolutely thrilled to partner with Aardman in making this film. Many refugee children who’ve found a new, safer home still carry the physical and emotional scars of war or face daily setbacks simply because of who they are or where they’ve come from. That’s why it’s so important for refugee children to get the welcome – and the childhood – they deserve. We hope this beautiful short film will inspire people to reach out to child refugees, welcome them, and help them feel somewhere like ‘home’ again.”
Take a few minutes to watch the film:
And here’s a behind the scenes:
All over the world, children's lives are at risk as conflicts persist. According to Save the Children, a child has become a refugee during almost every second of the war in Ukraine. The charity’s Emergency Fund allows them to respond to disasters worldwide immediately. Support this work by making a donation here.
Source: Aardman
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
