The Ocean Duck

A beautiful piece of animation which draws upon traditional motifs in Arabic and Persian art, The Ocean Duck is based on a Rumi poem and flows like a poem itself, a river of memories about a beloved grandmother. Huda Abdul-Razzak, who co-wrote and co-directed, created it as a tribute to her own grandmother, and it’s full of the warmth of a treasured relationship.

Early childhood memories often centre on smells, taste and texture; on rhymes and stories. Grandmother is in the kitchen, reading her favourite book of Rumi poems, when the little girl enters. Together they bake a cake, but the girl, taking the recipe a bit too literally, makes a mistake. When we see her later, as an adult, her cooking skills have improved, but time has swept her grandmother up in its tide; she is no longer in the kitchen, but in the hospital. A flood swirls around it. Somehow, the grown-up granddaughter must navigate this if they are to be together again.

The duck in the poem was raised by chickens, so he didn’t know who he was. Eventually, he realised that his home was the ocean. Can we all figure out who we are and find our way back home in the end?

Winner of the Best Animated Short award at the New York International Children’s Film Festival, The Ocean Duck is now qualified to enter the Oscar race. It’s a simple tale up against much more sophisticated fare, but it’s a feast for the eyes, and utterly charming throughout. Full of circles and cycles, it’s a reflection on eternity, and you won’t want it to end.