The Littles (2025)

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

After stubbing her toe on a loose floorboard, Juliet (Violet McGraw) finds that something mysterious is happening beneath her bedroom floor. Entranced by a bright light beneath the aforementioned floorboard, Juliet quickly finds herself enveloped in a world completely unbelievable. 

The Littles absolutely needs to be turned into a feature-length film. Everything about this film lends itself to something bigger than just a seven-minute movie, and I anticipate that Writer-Director Andrew Duplessie has already had a number of inquiries regarding the potential for growth within his cinematic world (and if he hasn’t, what the hell are we doing?). 

With that, it’s clear that Duplessie took the necessary time to develop a world far bigger than what can be seen in The Littles. There’s certainly more to the story of the titular characters than is present in this short film, and Duplessie creates just the right amount of mystery around them to entice viewers and has them wanting more. A simple use of light, the sound design, and Juliet ultimately becoming enveloped in all of the mystery that is her room helps to develop a very real world, one incredibly similar to ours in a variety of ways—yet eerily different. 

The development of a new species for a film can be a challenging task, one that requires filmmakers to dig deep and use their knowledge of the real world to create something accessible but unique. The titular littles that are present in The Littles resemble humans in nearly every way, yet they are brought to life using animation. There’s a clear wedge between us and them, and Duplessie does a spectacular job of allowing that gap to continue to grow throughout the course of this short film. The tiny characters are enigmas. They are cute and harrowing, passive and aggressive, timid and powerful. Their personalities and their presence in the short time that they are in this film is a mystery in itself, and that’s more depth that allows the film to continue growing throughout its runtime. 

What is it about these characters that resonated with me? It’s primarily the use of sound that reels you in and forces you to focus on them—even before you see them for the first time. The faint sounds of the floor creaking and the vague, nearly inaudible mumbles shrouds them in mystery, yet familiarity. Again, the enigmatic nature of these characters transcends the entirety of The Littles and forces viewers to not only pay attention to them, but to question every aspect of their being. 

McGraw is a brilliantly talented young actor that has found herself part of so many incredible productions since her introduction to Hollywood. The Littles being a smaller production provides her the opportunity to let loose and appear even bigger than usual; and it also tasks her with becoming the best version of herself. Her body language, facial expressions, vocal tone, etc. amplify the narrative and help to build on the suspense and aforementioned mystery. I’ve seen McGraw thrive in other roles, but it feels like a part of her that hadn’t yet been realized was ever present in The Littles. 

The Littles, in some ways, is a microcosm of the real world, depicting pain and suffering, mystery, and the pursuit of something meaningful. Led by the impressive chops of McGraw, The Littles invites viewers into a world that is intense and warrants a feature film. 

Written & Directed by Andrew Duplessie. 

Starring Violet McGraw, Janel Parrish, & Dominic Sherwood. 

9/10 = DROP EVERYTHING AND WATCH IT NOW