To say that the award-winning short film Borrowed Time has gone viral may very well be an understatement. Having screened at dozens of film festivals and picked up a slew of prizes along its festival journey, Borrowed Time was announced as having a brief screening period via Vimeo not long after its Heartland premiere as part of the 2016 festival where it was in competition for the fest's first ever Best Animated Short prize.

Mission accomplished.

Co-directed by Andrew Coats and Lou Hamou-Lhadj, who were reunited as Pixar employees in 2010 after their professional journeys had led them different directions, Borrowed Time is an animated masterpiece of emotional resonance and artistic awesomeness. The 7-minute film tells the story of a weathered sheriff who returns to the remains of an accident he hasspent a lifetime trying to forget. Faced with his mistake once again, he must find the strength to carry on. 

Not surprisingly, and most deservedly, the film picked up Heartland's prize for Best Animated Short and the accompanying $5,000 cash prize. The film's vocal work is transcendent amongst the small but stellar ensemble cast that includes Greg Dykstra, Steve Purcell and Nick Pitera. Two-time Oscar winner Gustavo Santaolalla (Babel, Brokeback Mountain) has contributed an original score that is lively and authentic and the perfect companion to the film. 

There aren't very many times that I award a 4-star rating and there aren't very many times when the word "perfection" comes out of my literary mouth, but Borrowed Time is, indeed, a 4-star film and an absolutely sublime and perfect animated experience. 

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic