Adorable: Watch Six Animated Films About Animals!

Animals are awesome. Animated films are awesome. And, according to sound mathematical reasoning, combining the two should yield something doubly awesome.

From Aesop to Zootopia, animal analogies have long been a tried-and-true means of spinning a tale. Indeed, as humans are part of the animal kingdom, stories about animals can be the perfect means of holding a mirror up to ourselves. And, as luck would have it, we’ve managed to track down a veritable menagerie of short films about all things Animalia.

These six adorable tales of animated animals—whether they be furry, fluffy, scaly or feathery—are sure to entertain you.

The Lion and the Mouse

The Lion and the Mouse, Evelyn Lambart, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

Perhaps one of the most enduring animal fables of all time, this classic tale tells the story of a diminutive mouse and a mighty lion. When the noble lion is trapped in a net, it’s up to our mouse to save the day! As our unlikely hero rescues the lion, we learn a very valuable lesson about how even the smallest among us can have a big impact.

The Boy and the Snow Goose

The Boy and the Snow Goose, Gayle Thomas, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

Equal parts heartfelt and endearing, this short film begins with a young boy finding an injured snow goose. Moved by the goose, the boy takes it in and nurses the bird back to health. Though their friendship and camaraderie grow over the summer, their adventures come to an abrupt end when fall arrives and the goose must return to its flock for the winter. A classic short film about the enduring strength of friendship.

Dinner for Two

Dinner for Two, Janet Perlman, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

A cel animation produced for the Showpeace series, which focuses on stories of conflict and resolution. In this short film, the viewer is transported to the lush natural ecosystem that is the rainforest. Here, this peaceful community of critters has been disrupted by two warring chameleons who have found themselves quite literally stuck in conflict! And it’s all up to a froggy mediator to solve the problem. Can this heroic frog resolve the quarrel and restore peace to the rainforest? Watch and find out!

The Squirrel Next Door

The Squirrel Next Door, Carla Coma, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

You might think Romeo and Juliet are the quintessential star-crossed lovers, but Shakespeare had nothing on this stop-motion animation. In this film, we’re introduced to a lovestruck spider who is head over heels for its next-door neighbour—a squirrel! Funny and adorable, this is a great story about how the power of love has no boundaries.

Paradise

Paradise, Ishu Patel, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

In this film about envy and how the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, the viewer is transported across time to a lavish, magnificent palace, where a beautiful, brilliantly plumaged bird performs for the mighty Emperor. As the bird earns thunderous adoration, a watching black bird becomes envious. But when the black bird seeks to covet what the other bird has, he learns a valuable lesson about how the gilded, golden cage has nothing on the open skies.

The Garden of Ecos

The Garden of Ecos, Co Hoedeman, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

An animated short film about peace and conflict. In a far-off patch of nature, a group of animals and plants is living in harmoniously. However, when predators emerge from the undergrowth, the peace is disturbed and chaos takes over. A modern poetic fable, The Garden of Ecos explores the nature of balance and imbalance in our world.