Escalation, one-upmanship to please your friends, but is it really necessary?
Children, from a very young age, are sensitive to the outside world and the opinions of others influence our behavior. A very beautiful film to explain to younger children that it is important to have self-confidence.
The short film “The Best toy” was selected at the Takorama 2020 festival organized by the Films pour enfants association.
Understand the story and themes, express your feelings and develop critical thinking.
1How do we know what the characters are thinking?
Thanks to their expressions. Because we have already experienced the same situations...
2Where and when does the story take place? in which country?
We don't know precisely, but in a country where children can play with electronic toys...
3What pushes a child to constantly modify his toy?
He wants to be the most beautiful, the most perfect in front of his comrades.
4Why does the child abandon the improvement of his toy?
He understands that he will not be able to have the most advanced toy: with each improvement added, there is a new toy that appears with a new function.
5What do we think of the latest state of the child’s DIY toy?
He's great: he managed to put together lots of different functions? It's a kind of monster, who can't hold on?
6At the end of the film, has the child learned anything? Did he lose something?
He's still alone, but he's having fun on his own. He learned not to depend on the views of other children.
7What are the impressions of the child's two classmates at the beginning and end of the story?
At first they are interested in their toy, then in more sophisticated toys. They come back to see him at the end and have the same reaction.
8And if we replaced the characters with adults, how would we rewrite the story?
Would it be in the office and adults would compare their smartphones? or at home the size of their television?
Created with the support of the French Ministry of Education and the French National Center for Cinema and Animated Images (CNC).
Watching the film with the family, educational activities with parents at home and with teachers in class.
