Paperhouse is a unique children’s film in that it understands the logic of a child’s brain and how fantasy and reality cohabit the world around them. Young Anna, a child who is constantly acting out because of her poor relationship with her parents, falls ill with a glandular fever. Stuck in bed she is left with little means of entertainment, choosing to draw. In her dreams she gets to go inside the world of the drawings where she meets Marc, a similarly ill child, and befriends him, unaware of the shared connection that they have.
The world of the drawing follows its own logic but is built upon a childlike understanding of the world itself. Anna’s choices for what goes into this world are always met, sometimes to horrific interpretations. The real fear of the consequences of something done in anger weigh heavily on Anna, even if to the adults around her her requests are unreasonable. The simplistic view of the world is still treated with the weight and seriousness of heavier trauma, which is handled with some beautiful dolly shots and an excellent use of light and shadow
Paperhouse is a unique children’s film in that it understands the logic of a child’s brain and how fantasy and reality cohabit the world around them. Young Anna, a child who is constantly acting out because of her poor relationship with her parents, falls ill with a glandular fever. Stuck in bed she is left with little means of entertainment, choosing to draw. In her dreams she gets to go inside the world of the drawings where she meets Marc, a similarly ill child, and befriends him, unaware of the shared connection that they have.
The world of the drawing follows its own logic but is built upon a childlike understanding of the world itself. Anna’s choices for what goes into this world are always met, sometimes to horrific interpretations. The real fear of the consequences of something done in anger weigh heavily on Anna, even if to the adults around her her requests are unreasonable. The simplistic view of the world is still treated with the weight and seriousness of heavier trauma, which is handled with some beautiful dolly shots and an excellent use of light and shadow
