TIFF 2024 Review: Maybe Elephants – “There is a carefreeness to the 2D animation style which takes the viewer along for the ride.”

In an effort to rid their mother of her depression, three teenage daughters and their father head to Nairobi.  

Despite the husband and wife having a successful career as architects in Norway, there is something missing for the matriarch which sees them heading to Kenya for a fresh start with their three teenage daughters.  And for a time, everyone settles in and flourishes in their new lives encountering some adventures with the wildlife and the sisters explore the dating scene.

From the beginning of its existence, art has been a medium for individuals to try to make sense of the world around them and filmmaker Torill Kove attempts to come to terms with her mother’s ongoing battle with depression which was responsible for some unlikely and memorable experiences as well as causing the family members to drift apart from each other.  There is a tonal shift that is somewhat unexpected and causes one to rethink what has come before with a touch of sadness rather than joy.  Answers do not come easily, especially when trying to figure out what is the source of depression when the circumstances appear to be ideal, not repressive.

The intro is dramatic with a young girl dancing with colourful threads dissipating like sparks as the narrator recalls fleeting memories; the technique is later translated into almost neon streaks to convey the excitement of a nighttime motorcycle ride.  A clever way of showing the grey cloud that looms over and consumes her mother is for Kove to literally illustrate one which serves also serves as a narrative transition.  There is a carefreeness to the 2D animation style which takes the viewer along for the ride.  The narration flows nicely with the animation as both complement each other with the storytelling.

The 49th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 5-15, 2024, and for more information visit tiff.net.    

Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada; he can be found at LinkedIn.