Animation / Drama / Mystery / Thriller / Horror
Francis is a short story written by american novelist Dave Eggers. This is the story of a young boy growing up in the suburbs of chicago. He spent his vacations in Quetico Provincial Park, up on the border of Minnesota and Canada. But he won't be going back any day soon, not…

Narrator (voice)

Alcopops, VHS tapes, cigarettes, boys, MSN Messenger, Placebo — this is 2003. Set on the Isle of Wight, fragments of the director's own teenage video diaries collide with the fictional story of 15-year-old Tommy in this short film about a boy's search for connection in the advent of the internet age. Infatuated with his best friend's boyfriend and unable to truly reveal himself to anyone, Tommy feels an overwhelming sense of isolation on the small chalk island he calls home. Desperate to be seen, he logs on to the family computer, clicks connect, and opens MSN.

Giacomo and Samuele, two young boys, were born and grew up in a small town in south Italy. Although it overlooks the open sea, it is a close-minded town. In this ancient town, the two boys quickly develop a strong bond, which goes beyond friendship. They secretly commit themselves to escaping to a place where they can freely express their feelings.

The animation was produced for the Tezuka Osamu Manga Museum, thus it features scenes from the "life and nature" of Tezuka Osamu's childhood, themes that are central to the museum as a whole, through exchanges between the boy Osamu and the carabid beetle (Osamushi) who provided the origin for the artist's name.