Having been selected for more than 105 international festivals, scooping a dozen prestigious prizes, Twin Islands is a treasure of animated cinema. The idea for it was born in the RUBIKA School of Industrial Design and proudly brought to fruition by six students boasting deep and varied skills. Thanks to this array of talents they were able, in the course of their five years of study, to dream up and put together a timeless short film that appeals to people of all origins and generations.
Twin Islands immerses us in a fantasy world where symmetry reigns supreme. The story is set in the middle of the ocean, where we find a pair of islands that look identical. The closer we look, the more similar they seem: not only do they have matching landscapes, but everything that happens on each island is the same. That’s the unsettling reality of Twin Islands. But soon this dictatorship of duplication is rocked by an unexpected development: a single heir (instead of the usual twins) to the kingdom is born on Twin Island West. Regarded as a tragedy, this surprising turn of events leads to general questioning of the tyranny of symmetry. Needless to say, this short film’s great strength lies first and foremost in its originality and technical excellence. The six students put a lot of time and thought into the graphic design. The result is clear to see in the impeccable animation featuring soft and refined colours, innovatively created characters, and sets rich in imagination – what’s more, the music jauntily sets the pace of the drama. Kids and grown-ups alike will relish discovering this remarkably creative world.
Twin Islands is the culmination of many hours of serious work, both on the style and the substance. It stands out not only for its technical prowess but also quality as a moral story. By depicting a world where duplication is practically the law, the young creators no doubt wanted to make a point about humanity and intolerance. So this film gives young viewers the opportunity to appreciate a metaphor of our society, where it is sometimes hard to be an individual, to stand apart from others. But it is important to realise that growing up means being true to ourselves, building our own personality and not being afraid to be different.
