Sunday Short Theatre - The Windshield Wiper (2021)

This week’s Sunday Short Theatre, is a treat, if anything Oscar short list choice The Windshield Wiper. The 15 minute animated short film comes from Spanish animator Alberto Mielgo, a decorated filmmaker. Including working on the animation and production of the likes of Tron: Uprising, Spider-Man: Into The Spider Verse. He is more known for his short The Witness which was part of Netflix’s Love, Death + Robots series. Oh did we tell you the film made it’s premiere at 2021 Cannes Film Festival.

His latest short which will be available online for the next couple weeks is regarded as Mielgo’s most personal work to date. This was a project he worked on during his time working on Into The Spider-Verse, which he funded the film himself. From his own observations, inspired by his own notebooks and sketchbooks, which are a wonderful window into the creative mindset of any artist or designer.

What is love? Not the lyrics Whitesnake musician David Coverdale asked in the band’s infamous song, but a question asked by a middle aged man. Sitting in a café eating lunch, smoking asking us the viewer, which the film presents a collection of vignettes that lead to the desired answer.

The vignettes are evocative, that try to answer things in a generational as well as different situations. Love is different for us all, most of all attempting to showcase love is all the same. What I do like about this film is it highlights the current fascination for dating apps and how we can also feel alienated. Poignant and full of emotion and worth 15 minutes of your time.

Inside a café while smoking a whole pack of cigarettes, a man poses an ambitious question: ‘What is Love?’. A collection of vignettes and situations will lead the man to the desired conclusion.