Middle Watch

Based on a true report from a sailor in the Indian Ocean, this short animated feature quite cleverly illustrates the tasks facing a watchman onboard ship in the middle of the night during WWII. Whether it be Nazi U-boats or giant sea creatures, we get a sense of the peril and emotional isolation caused by the environment, and of the loneliness of this "graveyard" watch - as well as an indication as to the traumatic effects suffered by survivors who are continually reliving not just their memories of past events, but enduring the risks that it could happen again - to them, now. The animation is simple and effective with an solid score underpinning the story that is peppered by only the briefest "hello mate" degree of dialogue. It's all about solitude - physical and mental, this - and it works well.