Besides the adorable SpongeBob SquarePants, I no longer watch cartoons or any fantastic animation outside of mainstream hits, especially the past few years in film school. My little brother seems to be an expert and stays current with what’s new and still in production, as well as his original characters and scenarios. There is one sector of motion illustration I should pay more attention to: short films! Recently, I came across Imago on YouTube, of course, searching for inspiration in five to ten minute videos. The title alone grabbed my interest and is actually a great word to know and Google, perfect insight for the project’s theme.

The first explanation of ‘imago’ is the last stage of an insect’s life. In the field of psychoanalysis, it means an often idealized image of a person, usually a parent, formed in childhood and persisting unconsciously into adulthood. These two definitions are obvious inspirations for Cédric Babouche, the mastermind behind the story and fluid visuals of a boy who loses his father to an airplane accident and grows up to become a dad himself. Imago won the “Best Animated Short” at the Avanca Film Festival, as well as the “Small Golden Rail” at the Cannes Film Festival, both in 2005.

The main character is cute and charming with an epic tragedy many can relate to. Babouche’s work is soft and engaging, no dialogue but full of sounds and a vivid metamorphosis. Warning: High emotion!