This compelling short film by British filmmaker Meloni Poole screened at Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year.
On the way to school Mae is repeatedly bullied by her classmate Heather and her gang. At home, Mae finds a novel way to avoid persecution: sewing a felt horse mask as a means to hide in the company of her peers, a kind of magic totem for protection. But when she arrives at school on a real horse, the other kids are left in curious wonder…
This short will screen before My Life as a Courgette at Young Audiences Screening Day.
For further background, listen to this TIFF Uncut podcast with Meloni and other short filmmakers, Eduardo Bertaina and Arvid Klapper talking about the challenges of making films for children, what makes a film suitable for younger audiences and the incredible intelligence of children as film viewers.