The short film attempts a lot of things and succeeds at all of them most gloriously. The narrative is an engagement with the transience and impermanence of things in so many ways. It foregrounds the inexorable passage of time felt in every moment of it, further emphasised by the voice of the narrator, overflowing with a gravity that will set the pace just right for the plot to develop. The film is also a visual feat achieved most effortlessly by the seamless weaving together of a sprinkling of live action visuals with stunning animation. Primarily using the location of a beach the protagonist grew up on, the sand in itself becomes a character, the medium of narration, taking the viewer by the hand on her journey. There is still so much more the film engages with - female friendships, the forever forward moving path of life from childhood to adulthood, an underlying strain of homosexuality, the relationship between the past, and the present and the unreliability of memory. Guaxuma does a stellar job of tying it all together, without making it look like a laborious task, and before the viewer can realise it, they have covered a huge distance within while seemingly partaking in the experiences of the protagonist.

Guaxuma | Short Film of the Day

Engaging with a nuanced aspect of adoption, the short film strives for and achieves an adept exploration of sexuality. It foregrounds the supremacy of heteronormative structures of society refusing to budge from its fixed position. A young boy in a Brazilian orphanage is adopted by a family who soon sends him back to the orphanage. It continues several times until the viewer is allowed a glimpse into his life and the opportunity to find out for themselves the reason behind all the failed adoptions. The film offers the most delicate handling of a sensitive subject and portrays a boy's coming to terms with his sexuality in a skilful manner. The camerawork further enhances this as does the performance of the cast. The narrative manages to tap into the fierceness as well as the vulnerability of Jonathas with effortless ease and notable expertise. With its unique premise and honest storytelling, The Orphan becomes a poignant engagement with sexuality and a child's need to belong in the face of the hegemony of a cis-gender society that refuses to look beyond its monolithic foundations. In the process, it becomes a relevant comment on gender, the fluidity of sexuality and the pure innocence inherent to a child's approach to the world.

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