There are lots of reasons to show this short film to kids.
The first is that the story is not only cute and moving but it’s also educational. The little tadpole is born at the same time as the rest of the spawn around him. They get to know life in the pond together, how to move around and what to eat. But one day, all of the others start growing hind legs – and he doesn’t. Soon the same thing happens with front legs! The little tadpole really seems to be out of luck! All his friends leave the pond and he finds himself alone.
So we follow this unique little character, who takes a while to turn into a frog. This is an ideal opportunity to talk to children about how tadpoles change into frogs, and about difference.
The film’s originality lies in its particularly well conceived and executed aesthetics. The set is a real-life setting that was filmed in the wild, both in the water and on the surface. Amid this natural surrounding, the small character exists in a visual world that could not be more simple. The tadpole is a little circle, with two eyes and a tail, nothing more. The detail of the natural setting contrasts with the bare drawing of the tadpole, in much the same way as there is an obvious difference between the natural transformation of the others into frogs and the slower evolution of the tadpole.
As an extra bit of fun, kids can enjoy spotting the various season in the film! They may also be entertained by the funny little sounds that can be heard under water, such as bubbles and droplets. “Kuap” is an onomatopoeic word derived from these different noises in the water or, indeed, the croaking of the frogs.
This enchanting film is an absolute must-see!
