Dodoba

Three main characters, a crime theme with supernatural elements and a Japanese village staging compose Dodoba, and ambitious short film by Yon Hui Lee, created as his graduation project at US-based school CalArts. Presented as a trial in a village of frogs (all characters are animals), the film plays a game of appearances and deception with the viewer. What seems to be a clearly defined external conflict (a toad wants to prove his innocence to avoid being executed but is not allowed to do so) soon shifts into something altogether different.

The stylized performances of some characters seem theatrical at times and the short uses crowd behavior to great effect. The effort dedicated to creating the main characters is worth noting, as well as the decision to use dialogue as an important vehicle for driving the story forward. Editing also plays an interesting role, with flashbacks used to enhance and add tension to the story. The use of surprise, metamorphosis and the integration of magic and the supernatural are very effective, raising the short from the expectations of the crime genre.