To mark the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine, animation studio, Aardman, and international children’s charity, Save the Children, have released a short film to highlight the experience of refugee children around the world. 

Inspired by real-life experiences of children that Save the Children works with, “Home” tells a story about how child refugees feel, including being separated from friends, family and school and in a new and unfamiliar setting. It also celebrates the possibilities for children to welcome new refugee friends and learn about different cultures. Although prompted by the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the four-minute animation aims to support the millions of children forced to leave their homes because of violence in countries including Ukraine, Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria.  

Created by director, Peter Peake, the poignant tale of displacement, loss, friendship and tolerance will be screened in primary schools across the U.K. alongside its general release. The short film follows a small orange circle as they arrive at a new school in an entirely purple world, inhabited solely by triangular purple characters. The orange circle immediately feels out of place, struggling with the language barrier and strange new food. But, through a blossoming friendship with a fellow pupil, they begin to feel welcome and accepted. As that happens, little bursts of orange start to appear in the purple surroundings, elevating the landscape to a richer, warmer and more diverse environment. The film then shows different characters of all shapes and hues that bring their own unique colors to the previously monochrome surroundings, transforming it into a thriving and vibrant world full of energy and color. 

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Watch the “Home” film here: 

“Animation is an amazing medium for expressing ideas that would otherwise be difficult to communicate,” says Peter Lord CBE, co-founder, creative director, Aardman. “At Aardman we believed that we had the expertise to help tell these stories in a way that would be sensitive, accessible and relatable for children worldwide. It was also vital that the film we created would share the right messages, address a genuine need and help as many children as possible. We approached Save the Children to help us with these aspects and to keep us on the right track, and we were absolutely delighted with the collaboration.” 

The story is told without using dialogue, which means its message is accessible to children and adults of all ages, everywhere. It transcends language barriers to show how we can extend a hand of friendship to people who find themselves in a strange new place and how much richer our world becomes when everyone feels welcome. 

“Our film was created as a specific response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, but it aims to help all children displaced from their homes due to war, famine and persecution,” says Peake. “Working with Save the Children, we learned what difficulties children face when trying to settle in a new country. Ultimately, we hope the film encourages children everywhere to empathize with some of their peers who might be going through that experience and to know the impact they can have by making someone feel welcome.” 

“We were absolutely thrilled to partner with Aardman in making this film,” says Alison Griffin, head, conflict and humanitarian campaigns, Save the Children. “Many refugee children who’ve found a new, safer home, still carry the physical and emotional scars of war, or face daily setbacks simply because of who they are or where they’ve come from. That’s why it’s so important for refugee children to get the welcome – and the childhood – they deserve. We hope this beautiful short film will inspire people to reach out to child refugees, welcome them and help them feel somewhere like ‘home’ again.”  

All over the world, children’s lives are at risk as conflicts persist. For almost every single second of the war in Ukraine, a child has become a refugee. Save the Children’s Emergency Fund allows it to respond to disasters around the world immediately. Donations to support this work can be made here.