Aimed at toddlers, this animated short film is a gem of simplicity and humour. Our three characters are guided by pleasure: the bird is happy to water the leaves on the branch like a homeowner tending to his garden; the bee who pitches up relishes the delights of the flowers in bloom; and the fox is on the prowl for a tasty treat to eat. That all suggests that one creature’s pleasure must come at the expense of another’s … but not so! Because a series of amusing and moving events enable all the creatures to live together without bothering each other. Jolly as a lark, the little bird is mesmerised by the hypnotic movements of the bee and, thanks to it, discovers new kinds of flowers while, without realising it, escaping from the clutches of the fox.
Lena von Döhren used several techniques to make this film. First she painted the sets using watercolours, then she scanned them in order to work on them digitally. Even though the preparatory work was done by hand, the characters were designed on a computer. The director uses a style that is both minimalist (with delicate lines and a restrained palette) and original (she reveals her viewpoint by drawing the flying bee like a child’s scribble, and again after the fox swallows the bee). Thanks to this approach, Lena von Döhren the director manages to portray the world through the eyes of a child, observing it with curiosity and tenderness.
