“Kiwi!” by Dony Permedi (sniff!)

Rather than a game, today I’m going to present Dony Permedi‘s master’s thesis in animation from the School of Visual Arts in New York.

You should know that “Kiwi!” got me into trouble with my sister, who was a little upset because I didn’t warn her about the end. The end made me a little emotional, too, so I guess I should add this disclaimer:

If you’re at that time in your cycle when you cry at banking commercials, please do not watch “Kiwi!”

The rest of you go ahead and then tell me: is the ending happy? Or sad? Discuss!

Here’s the link for the feedreaders. Sorry, guys! Sometimes I forget all about you!

28 Replies to ““Kiwi!” by Dony Permedi (sniff!)”

  1. hmmmm, well, color me dumb, but I didn’t get the tree tying at the beginning. And I didn’t think it was sad, but rather the tear at the end was the wind blowing in Kiwi’s eyes. It was sweet though, his little nubs coming out, which I can see would evoke an emotional response. I will have to watch it again.

  2. Ok, a second viewing helped. I get now that he wanted to feel like he was flying (sorry, took me a little bit), so yes, while in the end, he got what he wanted, it was definitely bittersweet.

  3. I agree with Erika. I had to watch it again to get it all. But yes, it’s bittersweet. Excellent animation technique.

  4. I loved it! It made me feel all happy and warm inside that obviously Kiwi knew what he wanted, had worked hard to get what he wanted and was willing to give it all up to feel like he was flying. There is nothing sad about acheiving your dream.

  5. I must be really stupid but I have watched it twice and still don’t get it, thoguh the Kiwi is adorable

  6. I figured it out as soon as I saw all those trees on the side of the cliff, and that’s when I started to giggle. I agree with Kat. He knew what he wanted, and he was willing to go the distance for it.

    Still, it would have been nice if he’d remembered a parachute…

  7. Georganna & Kathryn, the kiwi was attaching trees to the side of the cliff so he could “fly” through them on his way down. He built that entire forest!

    What got Sissy upset was realizing he sacrificed everything to achieve his dream.

    But hey! It’s a cartoon! If an anvil can land on the coyote without squishing him permanently, then the kiwi could hit the bottom and run back up the cliff for another flight, right?

    If that’s the case, I think it’s a happy video. If it isn’t, then it is as Erika and Lachlan called it: bittersweet.

    Either way, what a fantastic little story—told in less than three minutes with no dialogue whatsoever.

  8. Sweet, maybe bittersweet but the look on Kiwi’s face said it was all worth it.

    Loved it.

  9. Adorable! The first time I watched it though, I said, “Where’s the ending? That’s it? What happened to Kiwi?” Now I get it. Very poignant. Now I have to go and get a tissue.

  10. I’m having a tough week, so it made me cry.

    It’s admirable to try to acheive our dreams – even if it requires sacrifice, but it’s also foolhardy to dream of being a rainbow when God made you to be a termite.

    There is a place for contentment and joy in being who you were made to be instead of always yearning to be someone or something else.

    I’ll shut up before I depress everyone. (Anybody got a sunbeam?)

  11. Hi, Bonnie. I daren’t look, as although I’m post-menopausal and all that, at certain times of the month I still cry at the silliest things! So I’ll have a look at this when I’m better .. sniff.. etc..

  12. Thankfully, this wasn’t one of “those” times of the month (which come about all too often now I’m beginning to enter menopause.. I hope). Everything was worth it to Kiwi… he (it just looks more like a guy-kiwi) was willing to go to great lengths to achieve what he wanted. Good for him!

  13. I’m certainly glad you explained the tree building as I missed that as what he was doing. I got the dream of flying and was glad no splat came at the end.

  14. Talk about pulling a hammer out of your hiney! It was the nails that got me. Ouch! Okay…so am I the only one that noticed this? Guess I’m a sick puppy. Or is it sideways chica?

    Ciao mama…have a great week!

  15. I think it’s sweet…the kiwi worked so hard to make his dream come true (i’m assuming it’s a boy), but then he’s propelled into an unseen future.

    It’s kind of like what might happen to Wile E. Coyote if his contraptions actually worked.

    Great post!!!!!

    PS: I agree with Teri…the hammer up the hiney had to hurt a little. Maybe the tears he cried were tears of joy?

  16. It’s absolutely precious. And it made me cry. But I’ll go with Bonnie’s “coyote and the anvil” theory and believe that Kiwi will rise another day to fly through his dreams!

  17. I LOVE THIS!!! THE END WAS SOOOOOOOO SAD BUT HE GOT WHAT HE DREAMED FOR WHICH MAKES IT A FANTASTIC WAY TO GO OUT!

  18. Kiwi’s tear is predictable. I felt lonely when i watched this cartoon. On the way of achieving, we suffered a lot. At the end of Kiwi, the screen says:i made everything expect…
    Well, i think the missing part is——–friends.
    thanksgiving

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  20. I think that in fact it was the sound of a parachute at the end that when pulls comes out and allows him to drift to the earth to walk back up and do it again! yup that is what I heard.

  21. I’ve seen this movie now three times, and I’ve been crying every time. I dunno if it’s because it’s so sad with the music and that you don’t know what will happen with him next, the fact that he works so hard, the tear (of joy, as I see it) or the whole thing. I just LOVE this genius movie.

    Dony Permedi can be my God! :] I love Kiwi!

  22. I’ve been crying every time i saw Kiwi!.
    I think that kiwi have wings at the end and can fly. Her dream comes try)
    Please, tell me that it is true……

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