Float (2019)
Grade:
Transfiguring Adoption awarded this movie [5] Hoots out of 5 based on how useful it will be for a foster/adoptive family. [Learn more about our Hoot grading system here]
Movie Info:
From the Cover of Float by Pixar:
“A father discovers that his son floats, which makes him different from other kids. To keep them both safe from the judgment of the world, Dad hides, covers, and grounds him. But when his son’s ability becomes public, Dad must decide whether to run and hide or to accept his son as he is.”
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Float is only seven minutes long, and there are only seven words spoken during that time. But for such a small film, it definitely says a whole lot and packs an emotional punch. This short film would be an extremely useful tool for caregivers and professionals to talk to children both about embracing differences, as well as what different emotional reactions look like. The lack of dialogue and animated style make it accessible to even very young children and therefore can be recommended for all ages (adults included!)
** Spoilers Could Be Ahead **
In the film, a father finds out that his son, Alex, has the magical ability to fly and is at first amazed and delighted by this special skill. However, other people see this and are fearful and judgmental. They pull their children away, not allowing them to get near Alex. This causes the father to feel ashamed of his son and his differences and instead retreats into their home and stays hidden away from the world. He tries to force Alex to act more ‘normal’, putting him on a leash and weighing his backpack down with rocks to keep him from flying. Alex just wants to be himself and to play and gets frustrated at his father for holding him back, eventually throwing a temper tantrum at the playground in front of many other families. This causes his father to lose his temper and he screams at Alex, “Why can’t you just be normal?” In response, Alex completely shuts down, retreating into himself and going limp. This causes his father to feel bad and he attempts to offer Alex comfort but it is unsuccessful. In the end, Alex’s father starts to swing with Alex and this time he allows Alex to fly- not just letting him be himself but embracing his differences and playing with him, despite the crowd of onlookers.
How Is This Relevant To Adoption & Foster Care?
The only way this film could be more relevant to Foster Care/Adoption is if it specifically mentioned those words. Often, the children who come into care appear ‘different’ to those looking in. They may physically look different, such as being a different race/ethnicity from their foster/adoptive parents and siblings. And there are likely a number of behaviors that result from the trauma they have experienced. Other parents and families may look at this with fear and judgement, and they may want to keep their children separate, as the families in the film do. This can make it easy for a caregiver to withdraw from the community, to get overwhelmed and even give up, as Alex’s father does. Foster and adoptive parents may feel like they want to try and make their child appear more ‘normal’ to the outside world, or wish they didn’t act out in public.
When Alex has a meltdown at the playground, he demonstrates two very common reactions that children from backgrounds of trauma often display: acting out and shutting down. When Alex’s father first makes him stop flying at the play park he goes into a rage, screaming and hitting/kicking. Children often react this way when they have emotions that they don’t fully know how to deal with. Alex is frustrated because he can’t play with the other kids and he doesn’t understand why his dad won’t let him play. He doesn’t see himself as different, so likely doesn’t know why his dad keeps trying to make him ‘normal’. After his dad loses his temper and yells at him, Alex has the opposite reaction and just sort of deflates, and shrinks in on himself. He becomes silent, pulls his hood over his head and sits limply in his father’s arms. This is the other common reaction children can have when they are overwhelmed by their emotions- they just stop feeling anything and numb themselves to the world around them. At this point, his dad’s attempts at physical comfort don’t work. It isn’t until his father engages with him in a way he can understand, by swinging together, that Alex is able to get back to an emotionally regulated state.
Alex’s father also demonstrates both sides of the spectrum in terms of caregiver reactions to these behaviors. When Alex first starts acting out, screaming and flailing, his father builds up his own frustration, escalating alongside Alex, to a point where he eventually loses his own temper. As a caregiver it can be extremely difficult to deal with a child who is melting down, especially in public, where you already feel like everyone is watching. It can become easy to feed off of the child’s tumultuous internal state and escalate along with them. However, at the end of the film Alex’s father demonstrates a more trauma-informed and adaptive was of dealing with his son. He instead, meets Alex where he is. They swing together, and he allows Alex to just be, expecting nothing from him until he is able to get his emotional state back under control. Then his father engages with him in a way that Alex can understand and enjoy- instead of judging Alex for his differences, he embraces them and they are able to bond with one another while playing.
Discussion Questions:
- When other people find out Alex can fly and is ‘different’ they seem scared of him and won’t let their children near him. Has anyone ever acted this way around you? Have you ever felt like other people didn’t want to talk to or play with you because you were different? What did you do?
[Caregiver Note: Most of us have experienced this feeling at some point in our lives, but it can be especially common in children who are ‘different’ as those in foster and adoptive families are often labeled. Talking about this with a child can provide some insight into what their social interactions are like outside of the home and with peers. This can also be a time to talk about coping skills and strategies for dealing with situations like this that might arise in the future.]
- Alex just wants to be himself and play at the park. However, his dad won’t let him and makes him leave the playground. How does this make Alex feel? How can you tell he’s feeling this way?
[Caregiver note: Because there is no dialogue this is a great opportunity to look at body language and what feelings it might demonstrate. Alex is frustrated and angry. We can tell this because he is screaming and hitting/kicking. This can prompt a discussion with the child about what ‘angry’ or ‘frustrated’ looks like in them. Talk about how their body feels when they have these emotions. Does their heart rate or breathing change? Do they feel hotter or colder, light or heavy? Children who have experienced trauma may have difficulty recognizing and naming emotions to talking about what their body feels like during different situations can be a way to help them improve their emotional awareness.
- When Alex’s dad yelled at him and wished he could be normal, how did that make Alex feel? How can we tell?
[Caregiver Note: This is very similar to the previous question, though now Alex is hurt/sad/shut down, so the child should describe different emotions than previously and different body sensations. The body might feel cold, or heavy, they might feel like their heart rate or breathing slows down, rather than speeds up as with anger. This can also be an opportunity to talk about the differences in the different reactions Alex has]
- Alex is able to fly, which is something most kids can’t do. If you could have any super power what would it be?
[Caregiver note: This question is just an opportunity for some fun bonding conversation. Many children enjoy stories about superheroes and like the idea of having a magical ability. A follow up activity could involve drawing pictures of themselves with their superpower.]
- Alex’s ability to fly makes him different, but as his dad realizes, it also makes him special. What’s something about you that makes you special?
[Caregiver Note: This may be difficult for children do to, especially if they are younger or have issues with low self-esteem. This can be an opportunity for you to help them list some of their ‘differences’ and discuss how those differences can be strengths and the value of being unique.]
About the Author: Jenn Ehlers
Jenn is a central Virginia native who received her BA in Psychology from the University of Virginia in 2012. Since then she has worked for a local mental health agency and the Department of Social Services in various capacities and has been involved in her community’s efforts to create a Trauma Informed Network. Currently Jenn works in vocational rehab and mentors youth in foster care. When she isn’t working, Jenn enjoys writing stories, anything and everything Harry Potter, and spending time with her niece and nephew.
**Transfiguring Adoption is a nonprofit organization seeking to nurture growth in foster and adoptive families by giving a HOOT about their families. Transfiguring Adoption does not intend for its reviewers nor its review to be professional, medical or legal advice. These reviews and discussion guides are intended to help parents to better be able to connect and understand their children who come from traumatic backgrounds.
