This is one of those shorts that will affect parents (especially those with differently abled kids) with a huge impact. It's mostly a happy story about not treating disabled people in a nasty way.
The first half is wholesome. It involves a girl - Maria - who comes up with creative ways to play with the new boy in a wheelchair (who also doesn't speak). She believes he will walk again one day. She ties a rope to his foot and pulls it so he can kick a ball and also uses the rope to pull on his wheelchair so he can play all kinds of games. She has this vivid imagination and it's wonderful.
But the second half takes a sad turn. The boy comes to school very pale looking and the teacher says he's too sick to play today. Maria still tries to spend time with him, oblivious to how sick he is. Then she comes to school and sees his empty chair. She assumes he has suddenly began walking. But she overhears teachers talking about the boy, who has passed away in his sleep.
It's gut-wrenching. I was bawling. Up until that point, it really did seem like this boy was going to grow up with Maria and they'd be friends for life or even get married. It had seemed like he may get some sort of ability in his legs again (he kicked the ball once on his own). And then it just all comes crashing down one day.
The only comfort you can take from the boy's death is that is passed in his sleep, so it's assumed no suffering, and he had a smile on his face. Maria made the rest of his life amazing and that's beautiful.
The film then skips ahead 20 years and shows Maria as a teacher to disabled kids. She has now dedicated her life to caring for kids that were just like her friend.
I recommend it, but just be warned that you will likely cry.
The first half is wholesome. It involves a girl - Maria - who comes up with creative ways to play with the new boy in a wheelchair (who also doesn't speak). She believes he will walk again one day. She ties a rope to his foot and pulls it so he can kick a ball and also uses the rope to pull on his wheelchair so he can play all kinds of games. She has this vivid imagination and it's wonderful.
But the second half takes a sad turn. The boy comes to school very pale looking and the teacher says he's too sick to play today. Maria still tries to spend time with him, oblivious to how sick he is. Then she comes to school and sees his empty chair. She assumes he has suddenly began walking. But she overhears teachers talking about the boy, who has passed away in his sleep.
It's gut-wrenching. I was bawling. Up until that point, it really did seem like this boy was going to grow up with Maria and they'd be friends for life or even get married. It had seemed like he may get some sort of ability in his legs again (he kicked the ball once on his own). And then it just all comes crashing down one day.
The only comfort you can take from the boy's death is that is passed in his sleep, so it's assumed no suffering, and he had a smile on his face. Maria made the rest of his life amazing and that's beautiful.
The film then skips ahead 20 years and shows Maria as a teacher to disabled kids. She has now dedicated her life to caring for kids that were just like her friend.
I recommend it, but just be warned that you will likely cry.