Canard
2023 · 9m · Switzerland/Belgium
Directed by Elie Chapuis
Genres: animation, comedy, drama
On an isolated farm, duck farmers Vladimir and Olga desperately hope for a child, but when Olga rescues an injured bird from slaughter, her maternal instincts blur the line between devotion and obsession in this dialogue-free stop-motion fable.
Picked by Margot
The scouts
Dialogue-free stop-motion duck-farm fable with visible puppet joints and an Olga who maybe loves a baby bird a little too much — this is exactly my lane. Age-gated YouTube is a good sign for a stop-motion film.
Chapuis works in the spare, slightly uncanny puppet idiom that links Patrick Bouchard to early Quay Brothers, and the YouTube age-gate confirms genuine discomfort. A dialogue-free fable of considered restraint.
Age-restricted on YouTube and dialogue-free stop-motion — visible puppet joints with a deliberately stripped palette is a calculated uncanny choice that aligns the craft with the psychological unraveling. Without the full page summary I'm relying on the premise and Chapuis's pedigree, but stop-motion fables about parental obsession are a strong tradition.
Reviews
Canard delivers a concise and thought-provoking narrative. While its surreal elements add intrigue, the story remains deeply relatable and heartfelt.
What sets Chapuis' film apart is its craftsmanship — simple yet remarkably effective, elevating the piece to another level. The sets are intentionally sparse with a minimal color palette and visible puppet joins left unconcealed.
Festivals
- Locarno Film Festival 2023, Junior Jury Award
- Warsaw International Film Festival 2023, Best Animated Short
- Zurich Film Festival 2023