SYNOPSIS
When a 4-year-old child discovers a dead bird in the backyard, her mother is drawn into a world where reality follows the logic of old cartoons. Inspired by a poem by Nick Flynn, this stop-motion animation is a quiet meditation on a mother’s attempt to protect her daughter’s sense of wonder, even as she knows that childhood must eventually brush up against the truth.
TRAILER
coming soon
CREDITS
Director / Writer: Max Porter & Ru Kuwahata
Producer: Emmanuel-Alain Raynal, Pierre Baussaron
Co Producers: Clémence Pun, Joost van den Bosch & Erik Verkerk
In coproduction with ARTE France & RTS Radio Télévision Suisse
Based on a poem: Nick Flynn
Script: Max Porter, Ru Kuwahata, Koto Kuwahata-Porter
Voices: Koto Kuwahata-Porter, Ru Kuwahata
Visual Development: Ru Kuwahata, Max Porter, Jasu Hu
Puppets:
dwarf studios… Shuhei Harada, Gentaro Funayama, Kazumi Kuroishi, Sachiko Shiraishi, Takashi Komae, Koichi Furuya, Choi Sae Won, Momoko Shiraishim, Hiroto Murayama
Pedri Animation… Paul Mathot, Démi Mathot
Tiny Inventions… Ru Kuwahata, Max Porter
Production pipeline implementation support: Have a nice day films… Denis Walgenwitz
Set: Diane de Ribaupierre, Simon Jacquard, Ru Kuwahata
Animation: Elie Chapuis, Hiro Minegishi, Sylvain Derosne, Héloïse Pétel, Jasper Kuipers
Director of Photography: Nadine Buss
Gaffer: Stéphane Gauthron
DOP assistant: Arthur Jamain
Camera equipment: Manuel Cam… Jean-Louis Padis
Hélium Films… Clémence Pun, Lea Favre
Visual effects: Capybara Animation… Niels Medemblik, Sem Assink, Abel Tulp
Compositing: Max Porter, Peter Mansfelt, Balder Westein, Ru Kuwahata
Editing: Max Porter, Albane du Plessix, Thomas Hardouin
Music & Sound design:Bram Meindersma
Musicians: Henrik Meierkord, Bram Meindersma, Job Chajes
Mix: Jan Shermer
Audio Post Facility: Posta Vermaas
Color Grading: Thibaut Pétaillon
Post-Production Studio: Les films du Périscope
Interns: Cameron Smith, Viviana Sanchez, Anoar Bonnery, Suzanne Lub, Shoichi Sakamoto, Haruka Miyabukuro, Shiduku Nishigawa
MIYU PRODUCTIONS
Legal, administrative, and financial Directorv: Cyril Smet
Accountant: David Dos Santos
Accounting assistant: Ezo Sarigul
Communication Director:Lydia Ben-Iken
Communication assitant: Noëmie Billy
Production managers: Carole Guignard-Chabouis, Constance Le Scouarnec
Production assistants: Amandine Charbonnier, Rocco Paz, Quentin Dumas
Productions supervisors: Tanguy Olivier, Carole Faure
Production managers: Pierre Boivin, Emilie Coppier, Félix Régnier, Naté Séméga
Technical supervisor: Cléa Gonay
IT Manager: Christian Serres
HÉLIUM FILMS
Line producer: Clémence Pun
Production assistant: Lea Favre
Accounting: Dominique Gay, Clémence Pun
Partners: Olivier Glassey, Claude Barras, Elie Chapuis
Transporter: Tammaro Transports
KACHING CARTOONS
Line producers: Joost van den Bosch, Erik Verkerk
ARTE FRANCE(Unité de programmes Cinéma)
Deputy director of short film: Hélène Vayssières
Sylvie Smets, Chafiâa Benaziza, Pascal Richard, Romain Froidefond
RTS RADIO TÉlÉVISION SUISSE
Françoise Mayor, Izabela Rieben, Valentine de Benedetti
Distribution: Miyu Distribution
—Funding—
In coproduction with ARTE France
With the participation of Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée
This film benefited from a residency at Ciclic Animation
Artwork developed with the support of Pictanovo et la Région Hauts-de-France
In coproduction with RTS Radio Télévision Suisse
Supported by Office Fédéral de la Culture (OFC)
Supported by Cinéforom
Supported by Loterie Romande
This film was supported by The Netherlands Film Fund
Rhode Island School of Design, proffesional Development Fund
Year: 2026
Country: France, Switzerland, the Netherlands
© Miyu Productions, Hélium Films, Ka-Ching Cartoons, ARTE France, RTS Radio Télévision Swisse
FESTIVALS
Annecy Animation Festival, France (’26)
STILLS
PRESS
coming soon