Transfiguring Adoption’s Overview:

Canvas is an animated short film that recently debuted exclusively on Netflix. The short is only a few minutes long and has no dialogue or narration, though still tells a very emotional story. Another thing this short does really well is representation- all of the characters are Black, the grandfather uses a wheelchair for mobility and we see an intergenerational family- grandparent, child, and grandchild.

The film is probably appropriate for all ages as there are no violent or really intense images or content. Young children, however, may not be fully able to follow the story and understand what is going on given that it relies on subtle visual hints to put the pieces together. That said they may still enjoy the music and imagery, and the story of a little girl spending time with her grandfather, even if they don’t get the deeper meaning. However, the target audience appears to be older children, teens, and adults who are able to follow this type of storytelling.

** Spoilers Could Be Ahead **

How Is This Relevant To Adoption & Foster Care?

This film does not directly relate to foster care or adoption, though it does focus on the grieving process which is something that children in care strongly relate to. Even if their biological family is alive, they are separated from them and are also experiencing loss and grief associated with that. The theme of the short seems to be the idea of learning how to work through that grief with the help of loved ones and find that life is still worth living, even though it might look different now. And that’s a theme that is definitely relevant!

Discussion Points:

• Dealing with loss and grief
  The short film shows a family dealing with the recent loss of the grandmother. We primarily focus on how the grandfather is dealing with it but we do see glimpses of the daughter and granddaughter as well. For children in foster or adoptive care, they have lost their biological caregiver(s). Even if they are alive, children are separated from them and so there is still grief and loss associated with that. Watching the way this family processes and struggles might be a good conversation starter for how that might like and start talking about those feelings.
• Finding support from family
  In the film, the grandfather is having trouble dealing with the loss of his wife. He used to paint but now even just looking at his easel or old paintings brings up painful memories of his wife. We see his mood lift substantially when his granddaughter visits. In the end, we see him try to begin painting again but he hesitates, unable to take that final step. However, his daughter and granddaughter both come and stand beside him and put their hands on his arm. This gives him the support he needs and he is able to begin to paint. This is a powerful moment and can be a great way to start a conversation about how you can best support each other as a family. Not every person is going to respond well to touch- this is especially true for those who have been through trauma. But there are lots of ways to show someone that they aren’t alone, that you’re there beside them. Talk about the ways you can best support each other as a family as you all go through difficult things.

Cautionary Points:

• Family Member Death
  While it doesn’t happen on screen, the whole film revolves around the family dealing with the loss of the grandmother. At one point we see a child’s drawing of her family where the grandmother is shown as an angel. The grandfather gets very sad when looking at pictures of his wife. Then there is a dream sequence where we see the grandfather and grandmother dancing in the sky.
• Caregiver reacts in Anger
  The little girl goes into a room that is off-limits to get her dropped crayon. When the grandfather finds her he gets angry and we see her shrink back in fear, her eyes wide and he snatches a painting out of her hands. It’s a very short scene but if a child has been abused, seeing his angry face and the child’s scared one might be triggering for them.

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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.