ALL IS NOT LOST

All is Not Lost – Review: 5 / 5 stars *****

Don’t you just love it when you come across a piece of artistic celluloid that makes you smile, laugh, and think?
They may be rare, but they do exist. We, at Screen Critix, are glad to report that the short animation film All Is Not Lost is one such work. Using animation, along with stop motion, directors Daniel Greaves and Ruth Beni have created a ten-minute short that uses imagination in abundance, along with skill and flair.
Not only was the story of All Is Not Lost captivating, but the characters, animation, and sound all came together in perfect unison. A big smile came across our faces when, during one scene, the creatures realise that they each make unique sounds. They then used these sounds to create a brilliantly melodic song.
During the song, they accidentally create fire, which lights up the cavern walls to reveal a series of wall paintings. The paintings tell the story of the human race, from its humble beginnings to space exploration and finally war. A war that ended the species. While one can just sit back and enjoy the visuals on screen, we must confront the fact that All Is Not Lost is also a teaching us a lesson regarding the road we, as humans, are currently going down and, if we don’t do something about it, we really could find ourselves on the extinction list. So, while the short animation is brilliantly entertaining, it can also be seen as an important piece of work regarding our future.
All Is Not Lost shows what can be achieved with hard work, determination, and imagination. It’s truly a statement from two fine filmmakers and a must-see.

Screencritix – November 2023