Borrowed Time is a short film made by Pixar animators Lou Hamou-Lhadj and Andrew Coats, both of whom first did the film as a side project. The short is noticeably darker than Pixar’s usual work (which is saying something) and has a more mature theme as it deals with the heaviness of loss and mourning.

Hamou-Lhadj said, “A goal for us was to make something that kind of contested the notion of animation being a genre, and one for children specifically. We really wanted to make something that was a little bit more adult in the thematic choices, and show that animation could be a medium to tell any sort of story.”

The creators expressed how they wanted to convey the theme of forgiveness and closure in their animated short.

“It was about owning up to the mistakes you’ve made, or at least facing mistakes you’ve made and finding the strength to move on,” said Coats.

The animation itself is fluid and beautiful, with details in texture and movement appealing to the audience and seizing their undivided attention.

There’s little to no dialogue for the characters, but their emotions and personalities are mainly conveyed through expression alone. The music is haunting and the careful sound effects set the mood of the work. Everything builds up the emotional conclusion of a piece which takes bold risks and challenges the limits of animation by catering to a young audience.

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