Cafunè (2024)

2161. Cafunè (2024):

-Written by Kyle Bain.

This animated short follows Alma (Bruna Valls), a young refugee who is forced to face the trauma of her journey to freedom. When her doll falls in the pool she must relive the tragedies that came before, and only Cafunè will be able to comfort her. 

What is cafunè? Cafunè is defined as petting or lightly scratching someone’s head. It’s a Portuguese word that cannot be directly translated to English, which makes it challenging for non-Portuguese speakers to fully grasp its meaning (at least that’s the way I feel about it). Cafunè attempts to adopt that sentiment, making the whole of the film about something deeply personal, something that only those who have experienced it can fully comprehend. Directors Lorena Ares and Carlos Fernando de Vigo do an exceptional job of allowing that to come to life. However, using the vibrant animation, they also create something that is juxtapositionally accessible, so that viewers are able to sympathize with the young Alma on her journey toward freedom and solace. 

Regarding the animation, I’ve said it before, and I suppose I’ll say it again. There is often a stigma that animated films and shows are meant for children, and that’s simply not always the case. In the case of Cafunè, however, I feel that Ares and de Vigo do want their film to reach children more than other audience demographics. I don’t mean this to slight the film, but to say that it can be challenging to present such heavy topics to younger audiences, and the animation certainly presents the film an opportunity to reach the intended audience without becoming overbearing or too challenging. 

Cafunè begins abruptly. Viewers are quickly thrust into Alma’s story at a point in which life seems to be going well. Then, just as suddenly, we are thrust into Alma’s past, one riddled with trauma that even the strongest would struggle to understand and survive. Viewers are presented a powerful juxtaposition in the young Alma’s existence, and we are forced to internalize the sentiments present in Cafunè. 

Even with the content being dark and harrowing, Cafunè is still an accessible short film that has the ability to reach what I believe to be its intended target. Cafunè doesn’t waste time, honing in on the heart of itself in the early going and remaining present in that space throughout. 

Directed by Lorena Ares & Carlos Fernandez de Vigo. 

Written by Carlos Fernandez de Vigo & Chechu Ramirez. 

Starring María Castro, Bruna Valls, Daniel Albiac, Marta Estrada, & Germán José. 

7/10 = WATCH IT FOR FREE