Shooom’s Odyssey is a film about the bonds between beings. At the heart of the story is the little owl’s bond with her mother, which runs through the entire narrative. As soon as she hatches from her egg, Shooom sets off in search of her mum, seeing her in every living creature she encounters. Then her little brother Spouic is born and she forms a beautiful, close sibling connection with him, full of mischief and mutual support, much like the relationship between Walter and Rosie, the two children they meet along the way. Furthermore, we learn a lovely lesson about the relationship between people and animals – which is that wild animals can get along very well without us humans. The story is sweet and immersive: we discover plenty of interesting things alongside these two endearing bundles of feathers. And the journey is accompanied by gentle, entrancing music. Lend your ears and let yourself be soothed by the sounds of nature.
Childhood is a time of discovery, as we see through Shooom and her first experiences. In the heart of a Louisiana bayou, all kinds of creatures lurk, some of them dangerous, and the little owl greets them all with curiosity and even enthusiasm, with no trace of distrust. This natural disposition is so engaging that it encourages us to tag along with her as she ventures deeper and deeper amid the flora and fauna. If we open our eyes wide as she explores, we also come to understand that owls live in an environment that is sometimes polluted by waste. This alarming realisation is a good way to broach the topic of ecology with children. In addition, the way the storm is portrayed is a clever and moving way of showing the reality of New Orleans.
Shooom, small but brave, discovers both solitude and solidarity. The film also shows, with warmth and humour, that family is something we can create for ourselves. Beyond that, the clumsiness, naivety and curiosity of our newborn heroes provide plenty of laughter. We wholeheartedly recommend watching these quirky episodes to see for yourself why they are so endearing.
