Slamdance 2022 Film Festival – In this animated short film from Polish writer and director Tomek Ducki, an unusual, lonely man tends to his subterranean garden. All is as usual for the strange man as he lovingly prunes and waters his plants, when he suddenly finds a small child growing from a pot. Knowing only how to tend for plants, he does what he knows best – he cuts the child’s umbilical roots, and tries, and fails, to care for him. The child isn’t like anything the man has seen in his dark underworld – and the child’s wickedly sharp claws soon begin ripping rents in his delicate world, in more ways than one.

This film is a must watch for parents, caregivers, children, and yes – even gardeners. The idea of cherishing a life into being – and sometimes, having to cherish a life out of being – is not an easy or light subject. Plantarium tackles it with impeccable grace and wisdom, and harnesses some of the subtleties and pitfalls of the subject that are often left unspoken.

Textural, intricate animation gives way to a remarkable story of love and growth – and family, chosen, found, or otherwise. Ducki’s distinctive style, blending various types of animations, gives beautiful life to Plantarium.  Plantarium moved me to tears in the span of just a few short minutes, and a story that seemed to be going one direction went another way entirely. Do not let this one pass you by, but more importantly, do not let it fool you. It’s much more than you could imagine.

Plantarium made its American debut at the Slamdance Film Festival.

9 Out of 10