the present short film essay

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The Present

age , child , disability , physical , film

This short animated film was written, directed, and animated by Jacob Frey and rendered, lit, and shaded by Markus Kranzler as their thesis project for the Institute of Animation, Visual Effects, and Digital Postproduction at Baden-Wuerttemburg in Ludwigsberg, Germany. It is based on a comic strip by Brazilian comics artist Fabro Coala. In the film, a teenage boy is sitting in the dark playing a first-person shooter video game when his mom comes home, deposits a box in front of him, opens the blinds, and tells him he should go outside. As his mother goes upstairs, she tells him to open the present she got him. The boy opens the box to find a puppy inside, but is disgusted when the puppy licks him. He throws the puppy across the room, and we see that the puppy has only three legs. The boy kicks the puppy whenever it comes near him until he realizes that the puppy is missing a leg. Then he picks up the ball the puppy has been trying to give him and takes the puppy outside to play. When he gets up, we see that he is also missing a leg.

What present does the boy’s mother get him? Why is it significant?

Does the boy’s initial reaction to the dog reinforce any stereotypes? About kids and technology? About disabled people?

How does the film’s tone change from the beginning to the end? How do the creators use the soundtrack and the boy’s facial expressions to change the tone through the film?

How do the filmmakers use the reveal at the end (showing the boy’s disability) to complicate stereotypes of people with disabilities? Do you think they succeed? Why or why not?

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The Present (2014)

Based on the comic strip by Fabio Coala, director Jacob Frey adds an almost Pixar twist to the famed strip about a boy and his dog, injecting so much more emotion and a touching final scene. If the original comic weren’t bittersweet enough, “The Present” realizes the concept for a full fledged animated short that deserves a feature film. Jake is a boy who spends most of his time in doors playing video games and avoiding the outside world. One day after work his mom comes home with a present, and Jake is elated to see it’s a puppy. Initially surprised, he’s disappointed when he notices the pup only has three legs.

Rejecting it wholeheartedly, he soon realizes the dog has no idea of the rejection he’s just received, and may not even care that Jake doesn’t really want him. As Jake tries hard to ignore the pup, he realizes the dog is enjoying his world, and embracing what he’s capable of doing, rather than focusing on the fact that he’s missing a leg. Filled with sheer heart and emotional power, Frey realizes the initial strip with beautiful animation and wonderful voice work, expressing the conflict of emotions by Jake, who coldly pushes the puppy aside and gradually comes to respect, and even adore the puppy.

To the puppy, the missing leg is more a unique element that makes him different and perhaps better. This inspires Jake to embrace his new dog, and come to his own sense of self-realization that brings the entire short film full circle. I admit I’d never read the comic strip before, so sitting through “The Present” really packed a punch for me personally. In a cold and harsh world, it’s nice to see a life affirming short film conveying the message we can find strength in one another, and that being disabled doesn’t make you different. It just makes you one of a kind.

The Present, A Touching Animated Short Film About a Boy Obsessed With Video Games and His New Dog

• February 1, 2016

“The Present” is a touching animated short film, created by Jacob Frey , about a young boy and his new dog. Frey’s short film is based on artist Fabio Coala ‘s equally emotional comic strip titled “Perfection” .

The short tells the story of a boy who rather spends his time indoors playing videogames instead of discovering whats waiting in front of the door. One day his Mum decides to get a little surprise for his son, which makes it hard for him to concentrate on his video game.

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2 Students Created This Animated Short Film That Got Them 59 Awards, And Jobs At Disney And Pixar

A grumpy little boy, who’s into violent video games, receives a surprise present from his mother. When he opens it, he’s disgusted with what’s inside. But after a while, things change. Watch below.

‘The Present’ was created by Jacob Frey (writer, director, animator) and Markus Kranzler (rendering, lighting, shading). The two students presented it as a thesis short from the Institute of Animation , Visual Effects and Digital Postproduction at the Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg in Ludwigsburg, Germany.

It is based on this comic strip by Brazilian artist Fabio Coala Cavalcanti .

‘The Present’ was screened at over 180 film festivals and won 59 international awards. Frey and Kranzler received job offers from Disney and Pixar respectively and they are presently employed with the studios.

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The Present

Jake spends most of his time playing video games indoors until his mother decides to give him a present. Jake spends most of his time playing video games indoors until his mother decides to give him a present. Jake spends most of his time playing video games indoors until his mother decides to give him a present.

• Fabio Cavalcanti
• Quinn Nealy
• Samantha Brown
• Paul Bürger
• 7 User reviews
• 4 Critic reviews
• 23 wins & 4 nominations

• (English version)
• Jacob's Mother
• (as Sam Brown)
• (German version)
• Jacob Frey (direction by)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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• Trivia This short went on to be nominated for 59 awards worldwide, and peaked Disney's interest to invite the directors to work on their animation companies.
• Goofs Jake's Mom puts a box in front of Jake. When facing Jake, We see that from his perspective the left hand flap is over the right hand flap. On a change of point of view (Jake's) we see that the right hand flap is over the left hand flap.

User reviews 7

• injury-65447
• May 25, 2020
• July 27, 2014 (United States)
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The Present

Film Details

Animation, Short Films

Teenager Jake spends most of his time indoors playing video games, so his mum decides that a present might persuade him to venture outdoors. Jake is initially delighted to find that she’s bought him a puppy, but a three-legged dog isn’t quite what Jake had in mind. However, as the dog plays happily with its ball, Jake comes to realise that appearances aren’t everything. ‘The Present’ is an acclaimed short film, the director of which has since gone on to work in the animation department at Disney on titles including ‘Moana’ and ‘Frozen II’.

Cast (in alphabetical order)

• Sam Brown ,
• Quinn Nealy

Also available with  this film on  Into Film+

4 RESOURCES

Additional details, unclassified, engaging for ages.

Into Film recommend this film is engaging for this age range. Please refer to the BBFC guidance for further help in your film choice.

Also available with this film on Into Film+

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Short of the Week – The Present

Based on a short comic strip by Fabio Coala called Perfection , Jacob Frey’s animated short  The Present  plucks at the heartstrings in almost Pixar-esque fashion. In less than five minutes Frey takes us through the entire emotional spectrum, ending on a perfectly-executed reveal that’s at once heartwarming and thought-provoking.

We open on an all too familiar sight: a young boy alone in his living room, blinds drawn, the heated sounds of screams and gunfire blaring from the FPS he’s playing. We see only the boy’s face,  but the sounds of violence make the scene uneasy. It’s an effective opening – one which only serves to up the “awww” factor when the boy’s mother returns home with a special surprise for her son.

It’s hard at first to understand the boy’s hostile reaction to one of the most adorable dogs in the history of animation (sorry, Doug from  Up ), even by stroppy teenager standards. But as he finally warms to the dog and gets up out of his chair to play with it, the truth becomes clear. This is a short about coming to terms with disability and living with it – a message that feels especially relevant with the Rio Paralympics starting later this week . Refreshingly, we’re offered no explanation for either the dog’s disability or the boy’s. It’s simply a fact of their lives.

The Present  earned Frey and his team plenty of word-of-mouth buzz and well-deserved accolades upon its release in 2014, and it’s almost certain that we’ll see more of Frey’s work in the future. In fact, odds are good that you’ve seen some of it already. After impressing the animation world with The Present, Frey and some of the animators he worked with were recruited to work on the likes of  The Good Dinosaur , The Secret Life of Pets and   Zootropolis . 

Do you have a short film you’d like to be considered for our Short of the Week feature? Get in touch with us at [email protected]

INFORMATION

CAST: Quinn Nealy, Sam Brown

DIRECTOR: Jacob Frey

WRITERS: Jacob Frey (screenplay), Fabio Coala (comic)

MUSIC: Tobias Bürger

SYNOPSIS: The short tells the story of a boy who rather spends his time indoors playing videogames instead of discovering what’s waiting outside the front door. One day his Mum decides to get a little surprise for her son, which makes it hard for him to concentrate on his videogame.

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The Present Movie Review: A simple yet potent tale of power abuse

Rating: ( 4 / 5).

Early in The Present , Yusef (Saleh Bakri), on his way back home after a long day at work, has to cross the Checkpoint 300 that separates Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The narrow path is crammed with hundreds of men tussling to make their way through the gateway and Yusef is one among them. The scene abruptly cuts from the dark and uproarious walkway to Yusef's bright and quiet home. The chirps of birds replace the indecipherable tumult. At home, he is not being jostled or jostling others but is laying comfortably. His eyes do not indicate mental peace, though. The simple cut illustrates the contrast between Yusef's life when he is out in the world and when he is in the comfort of his home.  Director: Farah Nabulsi Cast:  Saleh Bakri, Mariam Kanj, Mariam Basha Streaming On: Netflix

That contrast is relatable to most of us. At some point in our lives, we must have either come across people who do not treat us with the politeness we expect or been to places where basic human decency is too big of a reward. The humiliation that emanates from such tiny moments is the heart of The Present and perhaps this why we deeply sympathise with Yusef, even if the Isreal-Palestine geopolitics, which is the cause of conflict in the film, is a subject that we might not comprehend completely. The story thus works beautifully both on a very personal level as an individual's struggle, and at the macro-level as a representation of tyranny. 

With a runtime of 24 minutes, The Present 's plot is simple, but both the filmmaker and the viewer know it's not as simple as it appears. The fact that this plot packs in so much commentary is what makes this short special. Yusef plans to gift a refrigerator to his wife on their wedding anniversary and sets out with his young daughter, Yasmine (Maryam Kanj), to carry the present home. What seems to be an undemanding task mounts into a challenge when Israeli soldiers exhibit their authority in front of Yusef, who means no harm. When the soldiers belittle Yusef, the presence of his young daughter, who remains a helpless witness, only adds to the humiliation. During one of the film's lighter moments, Yasmine plays with two birds confined in a cage, and the birds could very well be stand-ins for her and Yusef.

While Today They Took My Son , a 2016 short written by Farah Nabulsi, had a wailing mother contemplating the subsistence of her imprisoned son, The Present reverses the roles, showing us naive Yasmine's point-of-view. Both films, however, have repression at their core. While Today They Took My Son was an explicit portrayal of power abuse with its voice-over, music, and usage of real-life footage, The Present is calm and composed, although it packs an equally powerful punch. The Present ’s controlled and subtle narrative, although it’s fuming against authoritarianism inwardly, charts Nabulsi’s growth as a story-teller. For instance, Today They Took My Son , excessively relies on Nabulsi’s voice-over to describe the plight of a generation through the words of a mother. On the other hand, in The Present , Yusef is asked to remove his watch, a possession he inherited from his father, while passing through the security checkpoint. When his father’s watch, that he has carefully preserved for years, goes under the control of the Israeli soldiers for a few moments, it is more than a mere timepiece -- it becomes the reflection of the times Palestine is going through.

When the soldiers once again stop and question Yusef when he is returning with the refrigerator, it’s an uphill battle for him. Interestingly, moments before arriving at the checkpoint, he is pushing the refrigerator up against an inclined hill, thereby making his struggle both physical and psychological.

The Present is an angry film, but it finds a way to channel its anger through story-telling, rather than resorting to the easier route of verbalising the filmmaker's thoughts, thus making it a potent tale of simple people subjected to abuse of authority.  

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THE PRESENT - JACOB FREY (2014)

The Present is a tear-jerking short animation that did very well on the festival circuit . It was Jacob Frey's graduation film from the famous Baden-Wurttemberg Film Academy in Germany, and is based on a comic strip by Brazilian artist Fabio Coala Cavalcanti. It tells the story of a boy who is stuck inside playing computer games despite it being a beautiful summer's day. In an effort to get him outside, his mother has bought him a present: a puppy. However, the puppy is missing a leg and the boy is disgusted by it. Will the lovable dog be able to win him over? And why is he so disgusted by the dog's disability anyway? If you like The Present be sure to rate it and share it!

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The Present (2021) Short Film Review

The Present (2021) Director: Farah Nabulsi Screenwriters: Farah Nabulsi, Hind Shoufani Starring: Saleh Bakri, Mariam Kanj, Mariam Basha

Tackling issues regarding the border crossings in the middle east, and particularly the political and racial tensions that govern the crossings of the West Bank , Farah Nabulsi’s 24 minute drama nominated for Live Action Short at the 2021 Oscars highlights how even the simple act of going shopping can be an example of inequality and a microcosm of oppression.

Starring Saleh Bakri as a father looking to cross the border from one Palestinian territory into another via a checkpoint set on an Israeli road that dissects the two locations in order to buy a new refrigerator for his wife on the day of their wedding anniversary, The Present  is initially by the numbers in terms of traditional short form storytelling. A prologue of a night time border cross from work is followed by multiple scenes filled almost exclusively with exposition, out of place camera movements making the piece feel somewhat like a soap opera in its early moments. The subject is, however, much more interesting. Through the film’s early exposition, we find out that Bakri’s Yusuf has sleep issues and back issues, but that he adores his family. His wife and young daughter clearly love him back, but in their home of relative modern convenience, his refrigerator door seems to swing open at will, and as such Yusuf and his daughter Yasmine (Mariam Kanj) must travel to Israel to buy a new one.

Much of  The Present takes place at the border crossing where guards with large guns seem to be the judge, jury and executioner of the Palestinians attempting to cross Israel’s territory. Yusuf is imprisoned on the border for no reason other than for not having the cash to ease his transition across, his young daughter who is no older than 8 left to sit and wait for him in the desert heat. It’s this tension with the border guards that proves to be The Present’s  biggest narrative hook, and were it to have taken place entirely within the confines of the few yards either side of the West Bank, Farah Nabulsi’s film would have been much tighter and more focused.

As it is,  The Present  is somewhat tangential. Nabulsi and company do their best to highlight how this is an everyday occurrence, and how the people on either side of the border are not necessarily as abrupt and threatening as the guards themselves, but in watching Yusuf and his daughter arrive at the store set to sell them the refrigerator and seeing the pair add items to their shopping trolley, we are left with less time at the true point of the film’s tension, and as such are given breathing space to escape what in reality is an all-encompassing daily terror.

Regardless of narrative focus, there’s barely a frame of  The Present that isn’t set on father Yusuf and thus the performance of Saleh Bakri. The Palestinian actor has a truly commanding presence, his remarkable eye colour reflecting in the light of the desert in moments of grief or anguish to truly sell the many concerns he is facing from moment to moment. Portraying a subtle physical transformation and providing a facial performance worthy of top recognition, Bakri proves himself the anchor of The Present and as such becomes the film’s most unmissable aspect.

While  The Present  isn’t the out-and-out success that you might expect from an Oscar nominated live action short, what it does offer is some food for thought regarding one of the most volatile and least criticised localities in the middle east; one complete with a truly excellent performance.

This film is available to watch on Netflix.

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Uplifting short film shows the touching bond between a boy and his puppy

It's not abnormal to see a child today who would rather play video games than go outside with their dog. But, in a unique and touching take on this all-too-familiar scenario, German animator Jacob Frey is revealing to the world the special bond a child can form with their pet.

" The Present " was released by Frey in 2014, and has won nearly 60 awards, propelling the four minute animated short to viral status with over one million views on YouTube, in recent weeks.

Inspired by a comic strip by Brazilian artist Fabio Coala , Frey says he was in awe of the storyline of the comic, and was inspired to translate it into an animated short.

RELATED: Snugglefest! Watch 2 big dogs cuddle with their feline friend

"The overall story is the same as in the comic, but I had to go in and make quite a few adjustments to make it work as a short film," Frey told TODAY. "The comic itself is very strong in the amount of emotions, from being mad at his mom, to disliking the dog and finally warming up to him. In a short-film format...I tried to find the perfect balance in his emotions. It ended up being much more subtle than the comic."

Frey's talent in translating the comic to the screen captured the attention of Disney in 2014. Frey now lives in Los Angeles and has worked as a part of Disney's talent development program. The animator took part in the production of the film "Zootopia," and is now working on animation for the upcoming film "Moana."

"The short tells the story of a boy who rather spends his time indoors playing video games instead of discovering what's waiting in front of the door," Frey wrote in a blog post about the film . "One day his Mum decides to get a little surprise for her son, which makes it hard for him to concentrate on his video game."

The surprise the boy receives is an adorable, playful puppy who has a disability. The boy tries to concentrate on his video game as the puppy attempts to convince him to play, but is eventually won over by the pup's determination and resilience.

Related: 'Not the only one': Little girl who lost arm adopts kitten with missing limb

When the boy gets up to take the puppy outside, a touching similarity between the pair is revealed.

To see what the boy and his puppy have in common, watch "The Present" yourself — just be sure to grab some tissues!

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Palestinian short film 'The Present' wins Bafta: 'I dedicate this award to the people of Palestine'

Palestinian-british filmmaker farah nabulsi accepted the award virtually during saturday night's ceremony.

Director Farah Nabulsi accepting the award for Best British Short Film for 'The Present' during the 74th annual Baftas. EPA

Palestinian-British filmmaker Farah Nabulsi's The Present took home the Bafta on Saturday evening for Best British Short Film.

Nabulsi virtually accepted the award at the first instalment of a two-part ceremony, the main event for which will take place on Sunday evening, virtually, from London.

The film, which is Nabulsi’s directorial debut, tells the story of Yousef, played by Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri, who decides to go with his daughter to buy a gift for his wife on their wedding anniversary. However, the task of shopping for the gift is made almost impossible because of the challenges of life under occupation.

The award for British Short Film was presented by Clara Amfo, who announced The Present as winner over Eyelash, Lizard, Lucky Break  and Miss Curvy .

"Wow, wow, amazing," Nabulsi said as she accepted the award. "For anyone who has seen The Present , which is now streaming on a worldwide platform …you would know why I dedicate this award to the people of Palestine for whom freedom and equality is long, long overdue."

The film made its world premiere at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in February 2020 and won the audience award.

The film, co-written by Palestinian filmmaker and poet Hind Shoufani, was shot over six days in the Palestinian territories.

In an interview with The National last year, Nabulsi said that, to her, the film is about "human dignity and the importance of dignity and what it means for someone to continuously be dehumanised".

“It’s a simple story that speaks volumes about the absurd situation that exists there [in Palestine].”

The Present has also been nominated in the Live Action Short category for the Oscars. The winner will be announced on Sunday, April 25.

The Present

A boy is given a gift which changes how he feels about the world around him.

Watch this delightful short film with your children and try some of our suggested teaching ideas and classroom activities.

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

• Pause the video at different points and think of some speech / thought bubbles that you could add to each frame of the animation.
• Create a character profile about the boy. How would you describe him? Does your opinion of him change throughout the story?
• Write your own story with the title ‘The Present’.
• Rewrite the story in the form of a narrative.
• Retell the story from the boy’s (or the puppy’s) point of view.
• Write a new story about an adventure that the two friends have together next.
• Imagine that you were the boy’s mum. Make a list of ‘for’ and ‘against’ arguments about buying a new puppy for your son.
• Write a set of instructions to teach people how to look after a pet.
• Mute the sound on the video and add your own narration to describe what happens.
• Create a persuasive poster to raise awareness of different types of animal cruelty.
• Imagine that you could interview the boy. What questions would you ask him? How might he respond?
• Think of some questions that you would like to ask the creators of this animation.
• Create a fact file about a pet. How does it behave? What food does it eat? How should its owner care for it? See the RSPCA’s site for an example.
• Make a trailer to promote this short film to others.
• Could you create your own animated version of this story?
• Make a game about a dog that has to catch a ball.
• This short film is based on a comic strip. Could you create your own comic strip that retells this story?
• Read the original comic strip here .
• Listen to the film’s soundtrack without looking at the picture. What do you think it might be about?
• Could you compose your own soundtrack for this film?
• Could you choose a different song to accompany the credits? Which song would be most appropriate? Why?

Physical education

• Find out about the Paralympics and investigate the achievements of athletes with disabilities.
• Why doesn’t the boy want to go outside at the beginning of the story? Discuss your ideas with a partner.
• Pause the video at different points (e.g. 0.09, 0.44, 1.05, 2.40 and 3.10) and describe how each character is feeling. How do you know?
• What does it mean to be disabled? What types of disabilities are there, and how do they affect different people?
• Investigate the achievements of disabled people around the world.

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Guest Essay

Why Biden Must Watch This Palestinian Movie

By John Brennan

Mr. Brennan was the director of the C.I.A. from 2013 to 2017.

On a recent evening I watched “The Present,” a short film by Farah Nabulsi, a Palestinian filmmaker, which was nominated for an Academy Award for live-action short film. (The winner in the category was “Two Distant Strangers.”) Ms. Nabulsi’s 25-minute film is a powerful, heartbreaking account of the travails of Yusuf, a Palestinian man, and Yasmine, his young daughter, as they traverse an Israeli military checkpoint in the West Bank twice in a single day.

“The Present” establishes its context quickly, opening with images of Palestinian men making their way through a narrow passageway at one of the numerous checkpoints that dot the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Palestinians going to work, visiting family or shopping on the opposite side of a security barrier have to bear this humiliating procedure every day.

Yusuf sets out with Yasmine to buy an anniversary gift for his wife. He is held in a chain-link holding pen. The ostensible reason is that the Israeli guards want to search him and his possessions more thoroughly. Yasmine sits nearby, watching and waiting in silence.

The scene brought back memories of my first visit to the West Bank in 1975, when I crossed the Jordan River and arrived at an Israeli security post. As a student at the American University in Cairo, I was excited about visiting Jerusalem and spending Christmas Eve in Bethlehem. I joined a relatively short line, which moved at a steady and efficient pace.

A few feet away, I could see men, women and children in a much longer line fully enclosed by steel mesh fencing labeled “Palestinians and Arabs.” I saw several subjected to discourtesy and aggressive searches by Israeli soldiers.

While I was distressed by what I saw, I knew that Israel had legitimate security concerns in the aftermath of the 1967 and 1973 wars, worries that had been heightened by attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets by Palestinian terrorist organizations.

Half a century has passed, and the political and security landscape of the Middle East has profoundly changed.

Israel has signed peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan. The Abraham Accords , brokered by the United States last year, have paved the way for four more Arab states — the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco — to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. Hopefully, more Arab leaders will follow suit as there is no reason and little geostrategic sense in continuing to deny the reality and permanence of the state of Israel. (Unfortunately, the accords did nothing for the Palestinians except to obtain a suspension of Israeli plans to illegally annex the West Bank.)

There also has been significant progress in reducing violence carried out by Palestinians inside and outside the occupied territories. The exception is Hamas, which continues to launch rocket attacks into Israel from the Gaza Strip.

In the West Bank, Palestinian security and intelligence services have worked closely with their Israeli, Arab and Western counterparts to disrupt extremist networks and prevent attacks. These Palestinian agencies have demonstrated an impressive degree of professionalism over the past two decades.

Despite sharply reduced tensions between Israel and the Arab world, the Palestinian people themselves have seen no appreciable progress in their quest to live in their own sovereign state. Political fissures and the ineffective political leadership of the Palestinian Authority have contributed to stymying ambitions for Palestinian nationhood.

But that could change. Legislative elections in May and presidential elections in July in the West Bank and Gaza offer Palestinians an opportunity to elect representatives capable of conducting a more effectual political dialogue within the Palestinian homeland and beyond. Palestinian candidates who do not bear the sclerotic reputations of political incumbents, if elected, would help soften the deep-rooted cynicism that many Israeli officials display toward Palestinian negotiators.

The major hurdle will be to reverse the trend of diminished interest that the Israeli government has shown in pursuing a two-state solution. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has spearheaded relentless expansion of settlements in the West Bank. That expansion has brought along more concrete walls, security barriers and control points, further reducing the spaces where Palestinians can live, graze their flocks, tend their olive groves and vegetable gardens without being challenged by their occupiers.

Unfortunately, during the Trump years, the United States ignored Palestinian interests and aspirations. Mr. Trump moved the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem , rejecting the position of all previous U.S. administrations that it would endanger final status negotiations on that contested city. He senselessly severed funding to the Palestinian Authority and ended our contributions to the United Nations for Palestinian refugee assistance.

In a welcome change, the Biden administration has authorized the release of $235 million for humanitarian, economic and development programs supporting Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza and elsewhere in the region.

The concluding scene of “The Present” shows Yusuf, tired and hobbled with back pain, increasingly angry and on the verge of violence as he attempts to return home with the anniversary gift. His chilling, emotional outburst made me think of the frustration felt by every Palestinian who has to live with the stifling security measures and political oppression attendant to Israel’s military occupation.

It was his little daughter, Yasmine, though, who gave me most pause and concern. She watched her father’s patience, dignity and humanity steadily erode.

I can only imagine the imprint such experiences have on the young girls and boys who live in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. They grow up traumatized by injustice, discrimination and violence. They live with the feeling that their existence is controlled by people who don’t care about their welfare, their safety or their future.

The Biden administration is dealing with a dizzying array of domestic and international problems but the Palestinian quest for statehood deserves the early engagement of his national security team. The United States needs to tell Israeli leaders to cease provocative settlement construction and the sort of oppressive security practices depicted in “The Present.”

A clear signal from President Biden that he expects and is ready to facilitate serious Israeli-Palestinian discussions on a two-state solution would be of great political significance.

John Brennan is a former director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

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An earlier version of this article and an accompanying picture caption misspelled the surname of a filmmaker. She is Farah Nabulsi, not Nablusi. 

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Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Schools :the present, a short animation about teens disabilities .

• Some information:

• How to do it?

• Let's explore the short :
• Theme : Teenagers and disability.
• Languages:  English and other languages.
• Level : Primary education; Secondary education (different grades); Vocational Arts (Multimedia).
• Time : Two/three lessons. It  will depend of the activities you will prepare to complete this pedagogical  resource.
• Age:  All ages. Pay attention to the activities you will prepare depending of the age  and level you are teaching. 

• Display the short in two parts. The first one until the dog doesn't give up to play with the boy.
• Ask your students  to summarise the story that animation tells. And then ask to predict the rest of the short.
• Tell your students they are going to watch the continuation of the short. As they are watching, they should compare the end that they imagined with the real end of the short .
• Students will discus the short in the classroom  and then they will be invited to  watch the  e motional comic trip by   Fabio Coala .
• Both texts ( comic trip and animation)  demonstrate a shifting emotional response for the main characters: from anger to acceptance in  The Present ,  with Tiga’s exuberant positivity tempered by an understanding that trust is based on mutual respect.
• Hold a plenary discussion based on the two educational resources: the short animation and the comic trip.
• Adjectives to describe character of the boy and behaviour of the dog.
• Get feedback from the whole class on the boy’s character and behaviour. 
• Animated films  are  amazing! What a wonderful resource to get motivate students and  keep  them focused!
• Animations, short or not,  can offer teachers and students a nice inspirational push to have an amazing lesson! 
•  to teach  literacy, grammar,  morals , civics , animation , other;
• to talk about equity , tolerance, friendship.  Students with some disability must be seen for their classmates as equal.
• to  reinforcing values ,  skills , reading, writing, composing ,  or introducing the skill of inference.

• Equity, morals, civics:

• Languages : Narrative, grammar, vocabulary:

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