‘Dragonfly’, written and directed by Julia Morizawa, is a haunting and exquisitely crafted animated short that bridges time, memory, and the deep scars of war. Through stunning 2D animation, this poignant piece pulls us into a tale of innocence, grief, trauma, and history’s unshakable presence.
Set initially in 1956, the film introduces us to Sumiko (Miya Kodama), a young girl playing in the Japanese countryside, chasing a dragonfly with carefree joy. Her adventure takes a sobering turn when she stumbles upon a cluster of tombstones hidden in the forest – silent witnesses to the past. When the dragonfly lands upon one, her mother (voiced by Morizawa) finds her laughing among the graves, triggering an abrupt and chilling shift in time.
We are transported back to 1945 – Tokyo, in the grip of war with the United States The shift to black-and-white is more than just a stylistic choice; it’s a poetic dive into a past steeped in dread. Air raid sirens pierce the night as Sumiko’s mother, then a young woman, cradles her infant son, Kiyoshi. The terror of looming airstrikes suffocates the screen. The moment the bombs fall is shattering – fire, destruction, lives erased in an instant. It’s a hard watch and a stark reminder of the human cost of war.
Under Maria Marta Linero’s masterful animation direction, with Eva Benitez’s meticulous artistry, Giorgia Garcia-Moreno’s haunting sound design, and Aiko Fukushima’s mournful score, ‘Dragonfly’ is an unforgettable triumph. A harrowing yet essential reflection on loss, survival, and the spectral weight of history. Utterly mesmerizing.
