Papaya

Bluesky

A little papaya seed goes on a big adventure in Priscilla Kellen's vibrant Brazilian animation. Firmly aimed at younger members of the family, the little seed's adventures begin when, after falling from its mother tree, it decides that rather than take root it would really much prefer to fly. Papaya is a perfect circle with a little lilac triangular nose, the style largely built of colour blocks that younger members of the family will no doubt be keen to have a go at drawing once they get home. Adults, particularly grandparents, may be reminded of animation from their childhood, like the simple geometrics of Bod or the slightly psychedilic escapades of The Magic Roundabout.

The press notes refer to Papaya as a 'she' but one of the nice elements of the film is that, rather like ladybird animation A Minuscule Adventure or last year's Dandelion's Odyssey, any child can identify with this plucky pioneer. Told entirely without dialogue but with an upbeat, summery score from Talita Del Collado, it has an eco-conscious vibe as Papaya discovers that life away from the forest isn't exactly welcoming.

Among other things, we see farming on an industrial scale and, if there is a criticism to be levelled at the film, it is probably the portrayal of crop vegetables as terribly sad wee things. Any parents already struggling to get their kids to eat their veggies might want to take note before taking them to see this as it's unlikely to help.

Salad sentience aside, this is a trippy charmer that also sees Papaya drop into a kaleidoscopic cockroach disco down at the dump. While not entirely scientifically accurate, there's a nod to plant life cycles and some cautionary notes about looking after our environment.

What children are likely to enjoy the most, however, is the colourful and the comedic elements along with the simply told story of Papaya's courage in the face of a risky world. There are scrapes and bumps along the way but there's always a sense that, come what may, Papaya will blossom eventually.

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