Porcelain Unicorn (2010) User Reviews

human bond

[ckd-42924 · 7/10 · 9 June 2015]

This film is only three minutes, but it is enough to catch my heart. The story is about German boy and a Jewish girl. The German boy creeps into a house and meets the Jewish girl. She has a beautiful porcelain unicorn. I was surprised that they make such a beautiful film by using only designated dialog. And also the dialog is only six. I like the last scene. It is very emotional. This film draws human bond transcending time and race, and that makes this film rally beautiful with a few lines and in a short time. I think people are connected to other people all the time. The connection is more important than anything else is.

Excellent!

[napo0523 · 8/10 · 28 August 2015]

This is a story of a memory of an old man in 1943. At the time, Jewish people were persecuted in Germany. He broke into a Jewish house with his companion and met a Jewish girl. Normally this would be inexcusable, but he released her.

I think this story is unique because of two reasons. The first one is the length. This story is only about three minutes long. Although a three-minute movie is too short compared with other movies, what the story tells is clear so we can understand the contents easily. The second point is it has few lines. Actually, this film has only six lines of dialogue. Therefore, we have to imagine what is happening and what characters think about while watching the movie.

For these reasons, I believe this is worth watching.

Human goodness

[Indiana-Harrison · 8/10 · 9 August 2017]

During World War 2, some boys sneak into an abandoned house. One boy finds a hidden space and he meets a Jewish girl. When the boy meets the girl, there's no racial tension between them. They are just children who happen to meet each other. They talks for a little. But their chat is disturbed by the Nazis. The boy tells the girl to get away. He protects her without hesitation. His action doesn't relate to his principle about racial issues. He protects her because he knows what comes to her if they find her and he doesn't like it. He follows his conscience. Consciences are a very human thing. They consists of a sympathy for others and reason. No other animals have these things. Time passes and an old man, who was the boy, sits next to an old lady who was the girl. He shows her the porcelain unicorn she gave him at that time. It was broken by the Nazis, but he repairs it. I thought this unicorn is a symbol of human goodness. Sometimes they are broken by some people, but they never stay broken. This film shows us that people can be good despite the environment where they live.

Exquisite and deeply moving

[DrSAger-106-350491 · 13 July 2011]

Keenan Wilcox is a genius. A most succinct genius. This very brief movie--only three minutes long--won the Grand Prize Award at the 2011 Post-Cannes Phillips Film Festival. The rules for the entrants to the contest were:

1)The film could be no more than three minutes long. 2)It could have only six lines of dialog.

The chief judge, if I'm not mistaken, was Ridley Scott.

I would love to discuss this movie in great detail, both in terms of the humanity in it as well its symbolism which, I believe, is not at all obvious.

Still, anything more I could say about this film, though, anything about the plot or characters would spoil the extreme preciousness of your first experience in seeing it. I am sure that I have seen it at least forty times myself and it still summons tears from me. But see it yourself first and then, if you wish, we could talk, if only IMDb would permit me to post my e-mail address.

It's only three minutes. Prove me wrong.

Moving Film

[popopon0125 · 9/10 · 15 July 2015]

This is a story about an old man's childhood memory. In the film, first, he visits an old woman's house to meet her and to give a gift. Then, he recalls his childhood memories, and finally, he can meet her and give her a gift. The point I like about this film is that it very little dialog. I was very impressed that we can understand what the film wants to say even if there are only a few lines of dialog in the film. Moreover, I also like the choice of actors because a young actor who is in the old man's flashback and an old actor are very alike. In contrast, in my opinion, the young actress who is also in the old man's flashback and the old actress aren't very alike. However, it is a small problem. I think this film teaches us that we will not forget our childhood memories when we become old.

Good boy

[kazu-gaku · 7/10 · 21 July 2016]

This film is very wonderful. When I watch it, I feel that it passes in the blink of an eye. This work is only three minutes and six dialog but has fulfilling contents. This story us about a German boy and a Jewish girl. In the first scene an old man is reminded of one day in 1943 in his boyhood days. It is not explained but I think that the boy changes her fate which is about to be killed by Holocaust. We feel their strain by his words in that time. After looking back upon his past, his fear shows on his face. However, when he meets a lady, who is Jewish, he seems to be relieved because he meets her again. The porcelain unicorn is a symbol of a good relationship and bond in this film., so I think that it means a wish for a peaceful world. This is the movie I want so much to recommend.

Heart-warming story

[sgsbbcgbbc · 9/10 · 26 July 2015]

A man walks on a street with a box. He stops in front of a house and looks back on his childhood. When he was young, he met a girl. She seems to be a Jew and run away from the German soldier. She gave a doll of a unicorn to him but he was a member o the Germany soldiers so he must catch her. When the German soldier approached her, he protected her and allowed her to run away. The German soldiers know his action so they slapped his face and crushed the doll under foot. After he remembers that, he decides to leave from the house. When I was a junior high school student, I studied about the persecution of the Jews so I know the persecution is very miserable. I think that he was a member of the German soldiers and took part in the persecution so he is worried if he should meet her or not, His action tells me his feeling that wavers between a guilty feeling that he took part in the persecution and a feeling that he wants to see her again. His action show a waving human's feelings well.

moved!

[mnguuuu · 7/10 · 24 June 2017]

This is a short film of a distant childhood memory of a man about a girl and porcelain unicorn which she gives. The man is a German and the girl is a Jewish. They meet in a closet at an empty house during war and they meet again at a house which is completely clean after a few decades.

The film is only three minutes but the film fills their life from childhood to old age. Moreover, there is only six lines. At first, I thought that only six lines are too few and it is impossible for me to understand this story but it was wrong. This film uses not only six lines but also facial expressing, light and darkness (e.g. a light is lighter which he has and darkness is closet), and big sounds (e.g. broken sounds of window and porcelain unicorn). A combination of these elements is enough for me to understand the story and be moved.

Beautiful

[mkminnieyk · 8/10 · 25 July 2016]

This movie is good. The story and the image are so beautiful. Before I watch this movie, I wonder what function a unicorn is. I think the unicorn is important, because it connects between a boy and a girl. The girl looks less frightened the boy at first. Then she gives a unicorn to the boy. I think she has communication to the boy by the unicorn. Then, the boy protects the girl from soldiers. It is just my opinion, but I think he falls in love at that time. He doesn't know who the girl is, but he loves her. Although he feels soldiers are scary, he protects her holding the unicorn. It is a movie of a boy's retrospection. After the scene of his youth, the story comes back to his present time. He stands in front of a door holding a box. This action makes the audience imagine what he would like to do. Then he meets an old woman. It is a short movie and a director used the words of character a little, so there is no explanation about this old woman. The audience should imagine again. The director is great to make this film. The audience can't help being attracted to the story.

past and present

[momockinoco · 6/10 · 22 December 2021]

This short film "Porcelain Unicorn" was made in 2010. The genre is drama. This movie is about the past and the present. The past is the age of war. Three boys were in a building. Then, they heard a sound in the closet. Two out of three escaped, one of them opened the closet and went in. There was a girl in the closet. She had a porcelain unicorn in her hand. In the present, they are back together again, where there is a unicorn. This movie insists on the connection between people. Like the unicorn in this movie, something that triggers it connects people over time. I like this movie very much. I want to recommend this film to many people.

Unicorn is used well

[nobaryuta · 4/10 · 5 July 2021]

The short film "Porcelain Unicorn" starts where an old guy tries to find something, holding a casket. Then, we cut to a scene goes where young German boys during World War 2 seek something in an abandoned building. They hear some sounds from the locker and two of three boys escape from there. A boy opens that locker and sees something moving. Going through by the light of a lighter, he finds a Jewish girl. She gives him a little statue of a unicorn, and suddenly, the big noise resonates in the room. The adult soldiers come in the room, and the boy urges the girl to escape.

This short film uses limited dialogue really well. Every single utterance is used without waste.

Using the statue of a unicorn as a key thing, the line"It's a unicorn" is really natural in the story. Also, the story between German and Jew makes us imagine the situation and background much easier.

A ray of right

[Pimpkingirl00 · 8/10 · 10 December 2021]

This movie is related to war especially discrimination. A girl and boy meet by chance. But they don't belong to the same ethnic group. How they behave in the short period expresses how despicable the war is. I like this movie, because we can learn that if we don't know ethnic difference, there is no discrimination. In addition, the boy instantly understands the girl's situation and tries to help her from something dangerous. According to this movie, we can learn what important things are and realize the wars are so hideous. Such small children don't know about war in detail. Although due to adults, they become tainted people. They don't have the knowledge to live the correct way. But a unicorn is the last thing to connect them; however they are separated. Nowadays there are a lot of things which make our life more convenient and comfortable. But, we can't change and this developed equipment can't exceed people's really important things.

What the war bring

[myqkbt · 7/10 · 24 December 2021]

"Porcelain Unicorn" is a film which is set in Germany during the war. The main character of this film is a German boy. He finds a Jewish girl who is alone and scared in a locker. What action does he take ?How does the story develop? The key point of the film is the porcelain unicorn. I want you to watch the film and check the development. I was moved by seeing this film because I found that it is significant to encounter someone and cherish those who are involved with me like friends and family. I can believe that encountering someone and cherishing my friends make our lives happy and rich. If you have a concern about relationships with your friends, I recommend that you watch the film. You will find the belief of how to have something to do with your friends by watching the film, I think.

heart-warm

[sayuna · 5/10 · 21 July 2017]

This is really heart-warming story. I like the part where the old man and the old woman gaze at the ornament of unicorn. This unicorn connects him and her over the long time. I was a very moving scene. On the other hand, there are many puzzles. I wonder why the girl lurked in the chest. What are the boys doing? What were they seeking? The men wearing uniform are solders? I have a good time to think about these.

great film

[pisrgofort · 17 June 2015]

This movie is the story of how a boy soldier protects a girl. If the girl is discovered by a soldier, or someone other than the boy, she would have a very different fate. However, the miracle is that they came across each other and it is destiny to be connected even when they get old. The meeting way is bad, but the story described their relationship peacefully using unicorn. I feel relaxed watching the last scene. The unicorn is just an ornament, but it makes their relationship. Also, I think unicorn carries happiness for them. In addition, it has meaning that the item is a unicorn, because we have an image of the unicorn as purity and bringing good luck. So I think the contents of the story and unicorn image are matched.

lovely story

[chtkhs · 8/10 · 30 July 2015]

This movie is divide into two time periods, now and past. An old man is tense in front of a door holding a box. This scene gives us some questions, for example, why he is tense, or what is the content of the box. The hint of these questions are in the next scene. The next scene keeps us in suspense. We are likely to stop breathing when the army enter the room because we feel we would stay with the two children, a boy and girl. Also, I feel love between the two children though they don't speak very much. It is so cute. At the end, we feel gentle opposite to the violent scene in the middle. And, I like the last scene because they don't say the conclusion completely. Therefore, we can wonder about the future for then.

Porcelain unicorn connects a boy's and a girl's hearts together.

[izmsyoko · 6/10 · 10 August 2017]

The title of this movie, porcelain unicorn, has the important meaning. It's not just only porcelain unicorn, but memorable and important unicorn. Nobody makes mention of the unicorn, but I can feel so. Porcelain unicorn makes not only one girl but one boy happy. This movie uses silence well. Thanks to silence, I can feel the sense of urgency and I gaze at this movie. In addition, the big inning of this movie is very specific situation. I can't be unable to take my eyes off of this movie. There is not a lot of dialogue, but the situation and the feeling of characters express well. The last dialogue remains in the impression. I have a feeling this story will continue. I want to know the continuation of this movie.

Heartwarming

[pinefgsgsu · 9/10 · 24 December 2021]

Porcelain Unicorn is a short drama film. When three boys go to a deserted house, one of the boys finds a Jewish girl in the shelf. She hides in it because Jewish people are persecuted. She hands over porcelain unicorn to him when he talks to her. At that time, German soldiers come to the house, so he lets her go and he get at them and is thrown the porcelain unicorn. He visits there decades later with the broken porcelain unicorn.

This film was shown at the competition. In this competition, directors are only allowed to use six ruled lines. In these lines, there is a line about unicorn. I am impressed that this film depicts unicorn as inorganic thing because it is only one in three films that was shown in the competition and I watched. Furthermore, the story is moving. I think the boy is brave because he will be punished if he protects the Jewish girl. This film tells us the sad history in short time.

I want to recommend this film and I think it is worth watching because it tells the history. Children may know and research it due to watching this film.

The historical love story

[le-94371 · 7/10 · 17 July 2017]

An old man thinks back on his childhood. When he is a boy, he finds a girl accidentally in a ruin. He notices she has unicorn toy. Sonn after, soldiers come in. She is Jewish so that he tells them a lie to protect her, but the unicorn toy is destroyed....This movie was made in Germany. It has only 6 lines of dialogue, but we can understand what is happening in the movie. Addionally, this movie tells us the aspect of Germany historical incident. Germany has persecuted Jewish people in its past, but you may notice we are able to see what kind of era we see without ant explanations, because of the expression of time in the movie. I am impressed and try to think what it really wants to convey. I think it is "Peace" and "Memnory of our darkest time".

Imagination

[kamamitochan · 9/10 · 24 December 2021]

This short film is a drama about a man holding a box. He walks to visit a house, and finds it. As soon as he stands in front of the door, he recalls an old memory of his childhood...I focus on the time order which works well. In this film, 'flashback is incorporated as a technique. At the beginning of the story, who the man visits, what his purpose is, and what is in the box, are a mystery. However, the current scene switches to the past scene, and viewers can guess the mystery. Furthermore, although this film has only a set of lines, it captures our imagination. For example, in the later part, before he tries to turn back to stop visiting, his facial expression comes into focus. From the expression, I guessed that if the door is opened, it would have revealed that maybe the girl at that time had been persecuted soon afterwards, and that there might already be different people living there, so he is afraid to find out the truth and turns back. I just don't know if it's true. There's a lot of room for imagination in this film, so I recommend it!

preciousness of unicorn

[bbc-ohs · 6/10 · 25 July 2016]

This story is about a boy, a girl, and a doll of unicorn. In the opening of the movie, a old man brings a box to a house. Then, it changes to a scene of recollection. In the scene, three boys search something in ruins. A boy who is main character of the movie hear something sound from a wall. I thought the movie is horror in this scene. In fact, a boy enters the wall and investigates it, there was a girl. The girl is scared of him. However, she shows a doll of a unicorn. Then, soldiers enter the ruins. The boy tells her to run away from here to protect her. She gives the unicorn to him. But, the unicorn is broken by soldiers. In the scene of recollection, the old man is going to leave the house , but the door is opened. There is an old woman. Maybe, the old man is the boy of recollection and the old woman is the girl. I think the old man returned the unicorn to her.

Desire to an happy ending

[ohkf · 5/10 · 25 December 2021]

"Porcelain Unicorn" is a three-minute short film 2010, directed by Keegan Wilcox. It received an award at Parallel Lines. An old man looking for something using a piece of paper, finds a house reminding him of his childhood experience. During WW2, he sneaks into this house, and meets a Jewish girl in the hideout. The girl shows him a porcelain unicorn, but the SS officers come, and he cannot return the unicorn to the girl until he gets old.

Although the dialogue is pre-decided by the competition, those were not used simply in one context, and it makes the story more complex and profound. The boy is the member of Hitler Youth, and the girl is Jewish, so they are supposed to be enemies, but in this film, there are bounds between these children. The story ends in peace, but we know that it is not the regular case, because so many died in that tragedy. It show us the desire that we would understand each other, even if we are in hostility.

Dark but heartwarming

[justinforcier · 10/10 · 11 July 2018]

This film does a good job of showing hope in dark times.

The first scene of the film is of an older man walking over to a door with a box in his hand. We jump back to 1943 in Nazi Germany when the man was a boy. He discovers a little Jewish girl hiding in a closet, holding a porcelain unicorn.

The film makes good usage of going back and forth in time periods and does really well in crafting a story with only limited words and phrase the creators could use. The story was heartwarming and made me quite happy in the end despite the very dark setting and time period.

I would definitely recommend this film.

Great short, frequently seen setting

[aggelostenshimanga · 7/10 · 2 July 2018]

"Porcelain Unicorn" is a short movie about a young German boy who finds a Jewish girl hiding in an abandoned house during World War 2. He gets a small unicorn statuette from her that ends up broken. Many years later, he finds her again, to return the now fixed statuette.

This short was created for a contest, and had a specific dialogue that had to be used. The way the creators used the dialogue, and the setting they chose is quite interesting and creative. That, combined with good acting and nice camera work, got them the first place.

In my opinion, it is a very touching and well made short, that makes you sympathize with the characters instantly, but I think it is important to consider whether that is because of the writing and acting, or if it is because of the setting. While I do not think it was the creators' intention, the judges may have been made to ignore other equally good entries just because of the subject matter of this short. Showing how terrible Nazis were is in my view an easy way to sway critics to your favor, even if the story is not that well thought out.

In conclusion, "Porcelain Unicorn" is a well made short, but I find its story and "moral" a bit obvious, without that taking away too much from my enjoyment of the film.

A old man with a box comes in front of a white house

[saoatama · 5/10 · 7 July 2018]

I don't know there is any tendency that short films which settles on the subject matter of Nazi are won approval? This move is nice, but I don't like this sort of short film. I would like it if it were short novel. A old man with a box comes in front of a white house. And standing there. Whose house is it? What relationship do the old man and the owner of the house have? His missing daughter, or wife? This scene attracts attention. And story moves back to the past. Really nice. I like BGM in the beginning. It makes me fear. What's gonna happen? The tone is really sad, but not too dark. It contains positive foretaste for happy ending. In this short film, they can only use certain dialog in fixed order. I think the use of "Get away" is really nice. Usually people want to get rid of stranger from their territory, they say "Get away". They feel negative emotion, when they say "Get away". But, in this film, a boy says "Get away" for positive way. His goodness.