Our Friends, The Animals

A crowd of visitors sit in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life beneath the whale watching an animated short on a screen in an alcove between staircases. Daniel Kim/© AMNH 

This collection of five imaginative short films explores the deep and often mysterious connections between humans and animals. These stories—told through myth, magic, and quiet moments of discovery—remind us how animals reflect our fears, guide our journeys, and illuminate our place in the natural world.

On View Saturday and Sunday, May 3–4 

10 am–5:30 pm
These films will play continuously throughout the day in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life.  

Spirit of the Forest 

An animated still of a child in a forest walking over a pond using protruding rocks.
Nandini Rao, Nirupa Rao, Kalp Sanghvi, Spirit of the Forest, 2022

Director: Nandini Rao, Nirupa Rao, Kalp Sanghvi 
2022 | 7 min | India 

A little girl stumbles into a sacred grove near her village in south India. She disturbs the spirit of the forest, which takes her on a journey to reveal the origins of the ancient swampland and to learn of the respect that nature deserves.   

The Turnip 

An embroidered scene of two adults, a child, and a dog in a farm field with a house and a car in the background.
Piret Sigus, Silja Saarepuu, The Turnip, 2022  

Director: Piret Sigus, Silja Saarepuu 
2022 | 7 min | Estonia 

Based on the Slavic folktale of the Enormous Turnip, which is about the struggles of a farmer trying to harvest a turnip that remains stubbornly stuck in the ground, this film flips the tale’s traditional point of view to tell the story of the underground critters that live with the turnip in the depths of the soil.   

La Légende du colibri 

An animated still of a big cat running through grass and trees which are on fire.
Morgan Devos, La Légende du colibri, 2025 

Director: Morgan Devos 
2025 | 10 min | France 

A fire breaks out in the Amazon rainforest, and all the frightened animals leave their habitat to take refuge on the other side of a river. Only one little hummingbird decides to stay, facing the fire to save a sloth and its young trapped in the flames.  

Mû 

An animated still of a young child from the back looking toward a path out of a dark forest toward a structure resembling a snail shell.
Malin Neumann, Mû, 2023

Director: Malin Neumann 
2023 | 6 min | Germany  

An essential divine water spring has dried up. In this magical realist story about nature, a young child accompanied by an otter-like animal set out together in a quest to find a solution to the life-threatening water shortage.   

Dragfox

A small, stop motion animated figure of 11-year-old protagonist Sam opening a door slightly and peeking through.
Lisa Ott, Dragfox, 2023 

Director: Lisa Ott
2023 | 8 min | England 

A young boy named Sam is searching for his identity when a mysterious neighborhood fox interrupts his quest. Together, they venture to the attic on a magical journey to uncover their similarities and their differences, and the value in both.

Check out the full Margaret Mead Film Festival schedule.