Review: Meneath: The Hidden Island of Ethics

Overview:

A little girl learns about both the Seven Deadly Sins and the Seven Sacred Teachings while trying to accept who she is.

Our Take:

Nokomis and Jesus take a baby girl on a journey through teachings. Jesus acts as a father figure and teaches her about the Seven Deadly Sins. This makes the girl feel bad about herself and like she’s destined to go to Hell. Nokomis acts as a mother figure and she teaches her about the Seven Sacred Teachings. This helps the girl accept who she is, even if she partakes in “sinful” activities.

Terril Calder directed this film and she takes the viewer through a journey of her own history with trauma and abuse. This story is told in a very interesting way. I like seeing these two notable figures teaching the little girl in contrasting ways. Jesus is more stern and strict while only focusing on negative aspects. Nokomis, on the other hand, is more caring and understanding while showing more compassion.

I feel like this a story that a lot of people can relate to. Even if they didn’t grow up with an abusive parent, most people carry some sort of trauma. I’m sure most of us have all had someone tell us something that makes us question if we’re good people or not.

The visuals in this short film are eye-catching and really help make the story’s points hit home. Overall, this is a unique experience. I definitely recommend this movie to anyone who hasn’t seen it yet and likes to think a little bit. It’s just under 20 minutes long, but I still think it can leave a lasting impact much longer than its runtime.