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Ex-Child

1994 4 min
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This short animation tells the story of a young boy and his father, both of whom are enlisted to fight in the war. The boy's pride soon turns to fear as the bullets whistle overhead. His father takes his place and is immediately shot and killed. Horrified, the boy understands that war is not a game. Based on article 38 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, this film illustrates the right of children under the age of 15 not to be recruited into the armed forces.

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Ex-Child

Details

This short animation tells the story of a young boy and his father, both of whom are enlisted to fight in the war. The boy's pride soon turns to fear as the bullets whistle overhead. His father takes his place and is immediately shot and killed. Horrified, the boy understands that war is not a game. Based on article 38 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, this film illustrates the right of children under the age of 15 not to be recruited into the armed forces.

  • director
    Jacques Drouin
  • script
    Jacques Drouin
  • animation
    Jacques Drouin
  • producer
    Thérèse Descary
  • sound
    Louis Hone
  • editing
    Suzanne Allard
  • sound editing
    Gilles Quintal
  • re-recording
    Jean-Pierre Joutel
  • voice
    Cedric Dind-Lavoie
    Mark Biunno
    Vincent Lambert
    Benoit Lussier
    François-Olivier Therrien
  • music
    Lucie Jasmin

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Education

Ages 9 to 12
School subjects

Warnings: Violence: Bombing, Guns, Father is shot

In this wordless animated short film, a boy goes from tending the fields with his family to being forced to be a child soldier. Part of the Rights from the Heart series, this film was inspired by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states children under the age of 15 have the right to not be recruited into the armed forces. Students could answer research questions such as: Why are children used as soldiers? How does the role of soldier impact a child’s development? How can children be protected from becoming soldiers? Then they could reflect more personally or have a class discussion about how being a child soldier would affect their lives and what actions can be taken to protect children.