In India Barnardo's seven-minute animated short film Cat and Moth, Ditto is a bit of a feisty cat who has found her favorite spot. She doesn't realize that someone else has their eye on the very same spot. 

Cat and Moth is a low-budget, indie delight set to screen at this week's Academy Award-qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival in Indianapolis. Winner of Best Animation at the Vancouver Short Film Festival, Cat and Moth is a dialogue-free short film and definitely one of the most family and kid-friendly of the animated shorts at this year's Indy Shorts. While there's no dialogue to be found here, the story from Barnardo along with Amar Chundavadra and Martyn Smith is an absolute winner with vibrantly realized animation reminiscent of the mischievous playfulness of Dr. Seuss and the disciplined awe of filmmakers like Wes Anderson. It's an enjoyable short film from beginning to end. 

Barnardo is a first-time filmmaker working with a global crew of 90+. She takes what could have easily been a one-note caricature or overly familiar tale and immerses us in Ditto's world with playfulness, creative, charm, and a few moments of genuine laughs. An up-and-coming animator with impressive vision and insight into story and character, Barnardo is definitely one to watch and I can't wait to see where her career goes from here. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic