What if our waste comes to life, becoming melancholy and tender creatures? The animated short Wastopia excites us and opens our eyes to the environmental consequences of food waste
Imagine drinking a soft drink and throwing the can on the ground, contributing to the problem of environmental pollution and waste disposal. How would you feel if you knew that that can, once thrown away, came to life, transforming itself into a harmless little creature with sweet and melancholy eyes, forced to live hard in a parallel universe populated by the waste of mankind? It is in this surreal scenario that it transports us Wastopia, the animated poetic short by the Chinese Qianhui Yu transplanted to London, which wants to excite, but above all to reflect on climate change and on the ecological consequences of our actions.
Journey into the fantastic universe populated by our waste
Qianhui Yu, director and animator of the short, has always had the problem of waste, food and otherwise, and the environmental impact of waste disposal and the consumerism excessive in recent decades. Unlike many films and documentaries that deal with the subject, however, he decided to give his animation a different cut, much less raw and more emotional, perhaps also suitable for children. For Wastopia has in fact developed a universe of characters who first of all aroused empathy and tenderness in the viewer, making the bitter pill of the dramatic environmental issue sweeter.
As she herself stated, anthropising man's waste aims to "instill a sense of emotional attachment to them", and make us not only appreciate more what we eat, but at the same time make us reflect on what we throw away .
What if the leftover food and garbage have feelings?
In the fantastic world of Wastopia we find characters as tender as they are sad: from the plastic bottle that has the appearance of a sickly fish to the dreamy and nostalgic banana peels. Between rainbows, picnics and roller coasters, surreal and depressing scenarios stand out, with a clear reference to the paintings of Salvador Dalí and Hieronymus Bosch. The visual impact of the short film and the original characterization of the animated waste, excite and shake conflicting feelings, leading the viewer to re-evaluate the responsibility for one's role as a consumer in society.
Photo: Wastopia (frame).