Grief is a funny thing. It eventually comes for all of us, but there’s no one universal way of dealing with it. Everyone reacts to grief in a different way, and our coping mechanisms vary widely. Let’s Be Tigers is a short film about one woman’s grief, and how a little boy helps her face it. It’s a film that is both layered and complex, but also simple at heart, and I absolutely loved it.
In a nutshell, Avalon is babysitting 4-year-old Noah for the night. Avalon has recently lost her mother, and it’s clear that she is not dealing with her grief well, or really at all. And since kids are often far more intuitive than we give them credit for, Noah realizes that something is off with his guardian for the night and tries to make things better. What’s incredible about this film is that it doesn’t offer any easy or readymade answers. Noah doesn’t “fix” Avalon’s grief, nor does she magically get over it. Instead, Let’s Be Tigers shows that we can offer comfort and support to those in need by simply being there for them. The best way that Noah knows how to help is to play, so play they do. And it’s both beautiful and wonderfully cathartic to watch.
Let’s Be Tigers is the third entry I’ve seen in the Disney Launchpad series, and so far, each film has been both beautiful and wildly different from the others. I can’t wait to see what the next three have to offer.
Suggestions for artists I should check out? Please contact me with your ideas. I hope you enjoyed your daily helping of art!
