Written and animated by Matthew Lee, ‘The Stolen Kingdoms’ is a fantasy animation film that delves into the captivity of wildlife in the age of environmental destruction. The film explores themes of climate change and exploration with a soulful underbelly. The short film acts as a pilot preview to a developing mini-series. The film contains no character dialogue, largely due to the deaf protagonist. A poignant tale with an open-ended conclusion.
The 4-minute film opens with a miniature dragon flying from its nest upon sunrise. The dragon finds itself in the company of another larger dragon, before the presence of a mysterious girl (Siriol) interrupts their play. Despite initial hostility between the larger dragon and the deaf girl, their connection is strengthened when she draws him a portrait. The narrative concludes with the sound of animal anguish upon captivity.
Matthew Lee has developed a poignant tale that with help introduce young children to wildlife conservation. Despite utilizing mythical creations, which will heavily engage a young audience, the film oozes the same level of compassion that would occur with realistic wildlife. The craftsmanship within the animation itself is highly commendable, wrapped up with quality sound effects and musical score. An enchanting film for kids. Highly recommended.
