Farewell – An Animated Short by Luke Lee

As we grow up, there are always decisions to be made about our future direction – and some of them are not without their own fair share of pain, even though they are the right decisions and our hearts and heads must be followed.  Often, these decisions involve leaving others behind, however metaphorically, and this can often be difficult to accept, producing bewilderment, sorrow, even anger.  At times like these the mix of emotions often seem unbearable… but still the decision must be made and it is time to leave.

This remarkable animated short by Luke Lee (aka binsoo) tells such a tale.  A pair of brothers with a close bond enjoy a pastoral life, looking after a huge flock of very knowing sheep.  Yet the age gap between them means that one reaches young adulthood first and makes the decision to take his musical skills to a wider audience – the ewes and their lambs are appreciative but he needs more. And so, the difficult decision is reached, and the younger brother will be inevitably left behind.  Yet the older sibling leaves him a gift…

I don’t want to give to much away here, as it’s up to you to watch Farewell and take away from it what you will.  As one of the commenters says “That was an entire Studio Ghibli movie in 7 minutes, impressive” – and yes, there are influences on display. However, Farewell is very much its own story told in its own style.  It is Lee’s final piece from his time at Calarts, and I hope that having made so much of his time at the prestigious Californian seat of higher learning, that he enjoys a long and productive career in the visual arts.  Watch Farewell below.