GREY | Omeleto Animation

A man raises a wolf pup.
GREY is used with permission from Vasilina Mikhaylova. Learn more at / vasilina_mikhaylova_art .
In a snowy forest in rural Germany, Born and his horse are traveling when they hear whimpering in the distance. Investigating the source of the sound, Born arrives at a cave, where he finds a dead mother wolf slain by an arrow and her frightened pup. Alone and scared, the pup has lost the only family he has known. But when Born feeds him and shows him kindness, he goes along with Born, who adopts the pup and names him Grey.
A few years later, Grey has grown into a true companion, and he and Born are traveling together in the forest on a fine summer day. But a wild wolf pack attacks them, putting Born and Grey in peril. Things look dire for Born, but Grey comes to his rescue and fights off the pack, who retreat. But Born's parting shot with his bow and arrow brings back memories of the death of Grey's mother, and Grey must decide where his allegiance lies.
Directed by Vasilina Mikhaylova from a script co-written with Sarah Casey, this charming yet powerful short animation explores the bond between humans and dogs, chronicling both the warmth and endurance of affection between the species as well as the wild, untamed roots of canines. By watching the bond develop between a wild wolf cub and the human who becomes his master, we get a sense of how the beginning of the man-canine relationship began.
Told with no dialogue but the help of a vividly emotive musical score, the story has much warmth and sweetness, rendered in the expressive, round shapes and bright, clear colors and tones of an endearing family-friendly animation style. The first encounter between the man and the wolf cub is initially one of wariness and suspicion at first, with the small wolf baby uncertain, scared and helplessly alone without his mother. But he warms to the human when he discovers the man will be a reliable source of food, and with one last touching look back at his slain mother, he leaves the forest to join the man, starting a new life. It's a sweet, touching moment that seems to promise much love, security and affection in the future for Grey.
The storytelling uses animation's versatility as a medium to capture Grey's emotional highs and lows, as well as the potential danger and eerieness of the forest that makes up the wolf cub's first home, filled as it is with endless thickets of trees that barely let in the light from the sky above. Yet the characters themselves have a soft roundedness to them. Grey is undeniably cute, his movements and expressions capturing his playful, naive and innocent nature. As he grows up, he still has the playfulness of youth with his master. But at a key moment, he has also grown into Born's staunchest defender, with strength and courage to fend off an entire pack of wolves.
Engaging, compelling and often a joy to watch, GREY complicates its depiction of the human-canine bond with its final scene, when Grey watches Born shoot the last wolf of the pack. Making for a much more emotionally complex story than initially thought, it's a shocking moment, especially considering the warmth and affection that came before, and it puts Grey into a difficult decision, one that will test the animal's loyalties. It shows just how fragile the bond between animals and humans can be, and the importance of mutual respect in maintaining it.

[@keyoteamendelbar8742]

It's deep without a single word said.

[@user-uu9ru3de1y]

love this. thank you
the ending was unexpected but amazing!

[@scalchopartist]

I actually remember seeing this one a while back, nice. 👍

[@AllHallowsEve-h4l]

Thank you!

[@kaverious]

trust is a fragile thing.

[@roachbaitfnv2591]

All it takes...is one thing.

[@artwonderwood]

👍👍👍

[@krembryle]

Littlest Pet Shop wolfie

[@ritabosnich9974]

I’m sad…..

[@joseluizvarella5298]

bravo!!! gostei muito, grato, São Paulo, Brasil.

[@dustinfisher29]

Please get better in your animation style or just become a children's book designer.