THROUGH AUL's LENS: Review and analyze a short film "WiNDUP" by Unity

Hola, fellas! You’re still doing great, right? I hope so~~

Every Dad’s first love is always his first daughter, right?

Maybe not all of you agree about that, but I believe that some of you, especially the first daughter, must be agree with this opinion. And you, who agree and believe it, when you watch this short movie, you will feel touched about their relationshiop.

If the previous blog I am reviewing a short story about a bagger but with good purposes, this time I’m about to write some review and analyze a short movie about a Dad and her beloved daughter, “WiNDUP”.

 “WiNDUP” is a short movie that produced by Unity, they published this amazing short movie in January 2021 on YouTube. When I dig more about this short movie, I found that it was written and directed by a female filmmaker from Wuhan, China, she is Yibing Jiang. (Unity Technologies, 2020, “WiNDUP”)

This short movie appeared in my YouTube’s Home Page, and I impulsively watch it because the cover of the video is really interesting and eye catching. There is a daughter in a pink sweater who’s hugging her dad on the cover. The producer also put the Awards-winning from the short movie, it makes me more corious about the story and the plot.

“WiNDUP” is about a Dad who never gives up trying to wake his daughter from an injury and always stays by her side all the time.

The main theme is fragile nature of life, love and what it means to never give up. Back then, when his daughter still a child, they; Dad and his daughter was really happy, they play some fun game and live together with all the happines. But when his daughter grown, she’s suffering from an injury on hospital. And her dad is always stays by her side and trying to wake her up with power of music.

They were playing hide and seek n their home, playing together with happines around them. But then, the daughter got an illness in a hospital, her Dad was really sad. He always play music from a music box, which is a music that he always play since her daughter still a child. He play it with hope that his beloved daughter will wake up. It’s like a core memory. Suddenly the music box is broke, he try to fix it but he can’t. As a Dad who is really loves his daughter, he won’t give up, he still play the sound manually with his own voice. A couple of time he try, after all try, all hopes came out  from the Dad, finally, she’s wake up, and her dad crying over happiness.

At first, he is cheerful and full of life. After his daughter’s accident, he becomes quiet and sad, but his love pushes him to stay strong. The daughter, though unconscious, also has development, in her dream world, she fights to follow the sound of the music box, showing her will to return to life.

“WiNDUP” has a soft and real looking animation style. The warm colors in the flashbacks show happy times between the father and daughter. The blue colors in the hospital scenes show sadness and fear. Close-up shots of the Dad’s shaking hands and the music box help us feel his emotions even without words. The light also changes with the mood , it’s dark when he feels sad and bright when hope starts to return. Every scene is made carefully to make us feel the story deeply.

The sound is the most important part of this short film. There are no words, only the soft sound of the wind-up toy and gentle piano music. The music connects the dad and daughter, linking the real world and the dream world. The quiet moments also make each sound feel stronger and more touching. This film shows that sometimes, music can speak to the heart better than words.

Event though thereare no words, “WiNDUP” still speaks clearly through actions, facial expressions, and music. Every look and movement shows deep feeling. Because there is no spoken language, the viewer can understand easily.

This film will connect strongly with parents, childers, and anyone who has experienced love, loss, or hope. It gives comfort to people who are facing difficult moments and reminds them that emotional strength can come from love and faith.

“WiNDUP” reminded me ho powerful small acts of love can be. Just like the Dad’s daily routine of playing the music box, something showing care isn’t about big words, but about being present. It make me realize that even in silence, love continues to speak.

In only 9:55 minutes, “WiNDUP” captures what it means to love without limits. Through simple animation, moving music and quiet story telling, this short film teaches us that hope never dies, it only waits to be heard again.

And here, we’re in the end of my review. So, if love could speak through music, whose song would you want to hear again and again?😍

Answer in the comment section bellow, thanks for your time, and don’t forget to watch this amazing short movie on Unity’s YouTube channel.

Bye bye!! See you on the next “THROUGH AUL’s LENS”!!!