Polliwog

On a forest home trip with her classmates, ten year old Marlene is struggling with her early pubescent, changing body. She feels all alone with her troubles - until she meets an oddly developed tadpole whom she is weirdly identifying with. 

Rendered in 2D animation that preserves the rich texture of hand-drawn illustration, the film delicately captures the shimmer of forest light and rippling water. Its metaphor — linking a tadpole's metamorphosis to a young girl's unfamiliar, changing body — is striking. The film offers a tender encouragement: to become people who can love themselves in any form.

[Jinna Lee, Programmer]​