Films pour enfants

Grounded

Animated film about fear and humanity in war

A terrified soldier, eyes closed, in the middle of a conflict that is beyond him.

Synopsis

A soldier hides his eyes, paralyzed by fear. Around him, the war continues. The film captures in four minutes the tension between the individual and the machine that wins him.

Grounded
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Grounded © Gobelins, École de l'image

Commentary on the film

A short and dense film, reserved for older children. It does not show war as a heroic confrontation but as an experience of individual terror. Usable in history, to accompany work on the conflicts of the 20th century and on the testimonies of combatants. The short film “Grounded” was selected for the Takorama 2023 festival organized by the Films pour enfants association.

Questions about the film

1-What is the soldier's attitude at the beginning of the film?
He's scared. He hides his eyes.
2-What is his attitude after walking through the door?
He seems reassured. He smells of flowers.
3-What is its mission?
He has to take care of a surveillance post.
4-What happens at 2:33 of the film?
He is afraid and shoots into the void.
5-What is the soldier's reaction?
He comes down from his surveillance post and realizes that he has killed a man.
6-What happens next?
The dead man disappears and turns into a flower, the same flower that the soldier smelled at the beginning of the film.
7-How does the film end?
The soldier looks up and discovers a huge field of this same flower, a field of dead soldiers.
Then, a bullet rings out and the soldier is shot in turn.
8-What does the field of red and blue flowers symbolize?
Each flower represents a dead soldier. The two colors indicate that the dead are on both sides.
The differences between the two camps fade in the face of death, all the flowers form the same field.

Extensions and references

1- History

- The wars
The film does not clearly specify which war it refers to, but the uniforms worn by the soldiers are reminiscent of those of World War I or World War II.

2- French

- War, fear
The film which depicts the fear of a soldier but also the absurdity of war will be an opportunity to read “Voyage au bout de la nuit” by Louis-Ferdinand Céline, 1932.
“But it is impossible to refuse war, Ferdinand!
It is only madmen and cowards who refuse war when their homeland is in danger...
– So live the fools and the cowards! Or rather, the mad and the cowardly survive!
Do you remember just one name, for example, Lola, of one of the soldiers killed during the Hundred Years' War?... Have you ever tried to know just one of these names?...
No, right?… You’ve never looked? They are as anonymous, indifferent and more unknown to you than the last atom on this paperweight in front of us, than your morning droppings... So see clearly that they died for nothing, Lola! For absolutely nothing at all, these morons! I assure you! The proof is in! Only life matters.
Ten thousand years from now, I bet you that this war, however remarkable it seems to us now, will be completely forgotten... Barely a dozen scholars will still be bickering here and there, on its occasion and about the dates of the main massacres with which it was illustrated..."
Journey to the End of the Night, Louis-Ferdinand Céline, 1932.
Educational activities offered by Bruno Pellier, Christophe and Olivier Defaye.
Gobelins © 2016
Gobelins © 2016

TitleGrounded

ThemeGuerre

Genre & keywordsFrance, Narrative, Moral Education, Soldat, Peur, Conflit, Humanité, Tranchée

Recommended age15 years old

Duration4 min 9 s

DirectorLucas Durkheim

ProductionGobelins, École de l'image

Year of production2016

Country of productionFrance

MusicAntoine Duchêne

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