I remember when I first saw "Birdboy - The Forgotten Children" (at the time, going under its Spanish name "Psiconautas," or "Psychonauts - The Forgotten Children") at the Ottawa International Animation Festival in 2016. It was my first time at OIAF, and the feature film selection was varied, but uninteresting (comprising exclusively of independent films and typically featuring films not yet highlighted at larger festivals like Annecy, OIAF will tend to have a selection of screenings worth the trip every few years, but not every year). The films listed were all things I had never heard of, and based on the descriptions and single still image, "Birdboy" looked like the clear highlight. A post-apocolyptic story featuring cute cartoon animals, with an attractive visual design? "Sure, I'll watch that," I thought.After watching "Birdboy," I did appreciate its unique universe, but it certainly wasn't the best or my favorite film of that festival. It did not receive any awards at the closing of the festival. I believe any lukewarm response to it would be due to how incredibly grim and dark the film is. It isn't simply a post-apocolyptic story, but a dark-comedy-satire that tackles the worst of real-world themes. It doesn't shy away from explicit drug abuse, violent bullying, cults, extreme violence, nudity and suggested romance (sex) between the two main characters, a bird and a mouse each in their early teens. Seeing a cartoon sniff coccaine and experience horrible halucinations, or two cartoon children beating each other to death, or a cartoon being ripped in half (guts and all) isn't something you often see, even in niche adult animation. And ultimately, there isn't much of a payoff in the ending to give us any hope for the characters in the horrific world. You can imagine my surprise when American distributor GKIDS picked up the film for theatrical and home video release, going so far as to give it an English dub in addition to the original Spanish dub on the disk. GKIDS has long tried to showcase animation as an art form for both kids and adults, but I don't recall them ever releasing something this dark (outside of GKIDS, I can't recall a darker film in general, so their involvement is irrelevant). "Birdboy" does not have an American MMPA rating, likely a wise move, even an R-rating would seem tame against this film's content.The story takes place on a fictional island that was once prosperous, with a booming economy of animals working in pollution-spewing factories. One day, the factory explodes, killing much of the island's residents, destroying the economy, and preventing any way to safely leave the island. The film switches between different characters with their own subplots, including a fisherman struggling to provide for his sick and demanding mother, and a living robotic alarm clock learning to use its new legs for the first time. Primarily, the story is about a trio of teenagers who skip school with their savings to find a way off the island once and for all, and of Birdboy, a mute teenager with dark eyes and a ragged suit and tie. Birdboy himself is addicted to drugs "because the demon inside him demands it" and seemingly wonders around without purpose, but through vague and subtle context, we get hints of his job and the job of his late father, which was to work with the network of birds to rebuild the forests of the island, but through misunderstanding the two are remembered as criminals to the local police force.The adventure is a fine one to follow, but it is when the film focuses on vignettes of different characters to develop world-building that the movie feels more complete. Much of the side-characters are used for a sense of humor despite their dark environment. The walking alarm-clock speaks in a robotic voice with no understanding of the world outside his house, stopping to talk to bugs and being horrified at the garbage he passes by ("My brothers! What have they done to you?!"). A stolen talking piggy bank is broken open to steal money, but the theives feel bad to leave it behind ("Please don't leave me here... I feel empty inside..."). It's unquestionably dark, but provides a sense of levity in its humor to make the rest of the film easier to watch. Some of the vignettes also hit a little too close to home, revealing elements of life and society that are broken in our daily lives, but in their variety feel philosophical. It's a fascinating world, and if you can stomach it, you will likely be impressed with the vision. The story would have been a bit better if there was a purpose to the darkness, but much of it feels dark for the sake of being shocking, and I think that is what bothered me the most.
The visuals help sell the film as well. While not especially detailed, the character designs are distinct and recall cuter cartoon archtypes, and the animation matches properly to it. During some of the darker scenes, the layout and color design and design of the shadows and demons are striking, even if they are hard to watch. Overall, the style reminds me of other European animated films such as "Boy and the World" and "Ernest and Celestine," despite the drastic change in subject matter. The music is not as memorable as the impressive sound design and effects, which tear at the speakers during horrific moments. The English dub I mentioned makes it a bit easier to connect with the characters than the Spanish dub, but you can try either at your leisure.The Bluray disc comes with two earlier short films, one a original concept piece of "Birdboy," the second an original standalone piece called "Decorado." The "Birdboy" short has a horrificly dated Flash-animation style, but being a short film makes it a little easier to watch, removing a little of the darker moments. "Decorado" establishes the animation style of the feature film, as well as the twisted sense of humor. Both are welcome additions to help understand the director's mindset after watching "The Forgotten Children."I couldn't fully enjoy "Birdboy - The Forgotten Children," but it is an impressive vision from the mind of a distinct individual. Not all cartoons need to be for children, and not all horror films need a happy ending. Child or not, I can't imagine anyone of any age fully enjoying the movie, but you wouldn't forget it anytime soon.