After a sensational festival run with “Sexy Sushi” (2020), Singapore-based animator Callen Koh returns with her latest short, “To Kill The Birds and the Bees.” Like “Sexy Sushi,” Koh introduces the video with an explosion of lascivious imagery… though this time, sex has consequences. Children reenact hypersexual music videos. A star student gets pregnant. A prudish Karen finds her city in sin. Within a slew of 2D animation, puppets, and three original songs (all of which are irresistably catchy), the characters all come together under the same roof of shame and repression.
“To Kill the Birds and the Bees” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
This surprisingly political commentary is alluring, but can be triggering to watch. Explicit references to abortion abound. A somewhat satirical, somewhat serious fetus is set on fire. The end credits linger over an abundance of hangers, and a computer advertises a Google search for “DIY abortions.” These overt references to termination are just as borderline graphic as Koh's explorations of the act of copulation. This is made even more jarring by Koh's unrelenting juxtaposition between the pregnant teen's panic and the upbeat music. Aggressively vibrant tones bluntly eludes to the darker side of Singapore's sanitized sex ed, evoking both delight and horror at once.
Like this, Koh attempts to cram her heavily-coded symbolism to make the most of her eleven minutes on-screen. Repeated allusions to birds and the bees become redundant; the multiple iterations of phallic objects almost tire the eyes. Hence, while the messaging is effective, it also comes off as a little too on the nose. With only a few minutes to spare and none to waste, Koh's lovemaking-laden design becomes almost tiresome. Perhaps, given more time, Koh could experiment further with more nuanced expressions of intercourse.
Overall though, “To Kill the Birds and the Bees” is a remarkable piece for an undergraduate student to put together. Even with her new political bent, Calleen Koh flaunts a consistency in style that revels in sex. Like her previous work, Koh unveils a manic energy that magically mishmashes together into a single work – marking this yet another remarkable film in her promising career.
