“Norman the Snowman: The Northern Lights” is a beautiful family short film that effectively recreates the Christmas magic that most certainly experienced as children. Takeshi Yashiro offers a simple, yet heartfelt story told through a minimalist concept, solid voice acting, soothing holiday melodies and detailed stop-motion imagery that evokes nostalgia and evidences hard work, passion and dedication.
Norman the Snowman: The Northern Lights is streaming on JFF Theater until 2025/02/01 11:00:00Â [JST]
The film follows a young boy who’s having trouble getting along with his mother at home. So, he plans a trip to the snowy mountains hoping to see the northern lights, accompanied by his friend Norman, a little snowman who wears sunglasses. With this character dynamic, Yashiro comments on imaginary friends as a means to escape from the boring world that children call home, and that sudden urge to get away and explore new things and places. Norman is portrayed as cool, confident and expressive, which is everything the boy is not. This is perhaps what he aims to become when he’s older.
Their expedition is one of discovery, joy and fun, but it also proves to be meaningful, with the two friends coming to appreciate the countless beauties and wonders of nature. The boy believes he is deserving of embarking on this journey because he is bigger now, but once he meets a man suspiciously driving a car on an ice lake, his outlook on the quest changes. The man appears to be Santa, and he tells the boy something that, despite his young age, changes his perspective drastically. “You don’t get big and then go on a trip. You go on a trip to get bigger.” And in the end, while observing the beautiful aurora, the boy realizes that beautiful things exist to be shared with others, which makes him think of his mother and return home.
“Norman the Snowman: The Northern Lights” is a little project that is full of heart, with a poignant, simple story about coming to understand that you should be grateful for what you have. Sometimes it’s easy to take family and loved ones for granted, but it’s impossible to forget them. Clocking in at only 25 minutes, Takeshi Yashiro offers a reflection on childhood innocence and naivety, as well as a magical fable of maturing and growing up. If you’ve seen similar animations in your younger years, or if you simply love Christmas, this “Norman the Snowman” short film will undoubtedly leave you with a smile and a warmed heart.
“This day, the boy learned that there are things other than the northern lights that are always there, even if you can’t usually see them.”
