Childrens’ Film Festival - Bellysaurus
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Date Reviewed: 28/05/2022
Bellysaurus, written, directed, and animated by Philip Watts is a clever, adorable story about a tiny dinosaur who dreams she is big and scary. When danger strikes, she learns it is what’s on the inside that counts. Literally.
The film looks deceivingly simple and in a way it is. The background elements are hand-drawn with coloured markers. However, it is the animation that sets it apart. Although the film is produced using computer animation, it has a stop-motion look complete with shadowing reminiscent of early Disney.
Eminently suitable for children from three up, Watts has cleverly written this moral tale (voiced by Berri Schachter, Gila Belfer, Aizik Schachter, Eli Sziewicz and music by Dmitri Golovko) with no dialogue, just expressive animal noises.
Even though the style is simplistic, the range of expressions on the dinosaurs’ faces are amazing. It is easy to sense the fear on the little dinosaurs’ faces when faced with an enemy more than twice their size.
Watts also understands the allure of the gross with younger viewers. The ‘farty’ noises emitted from the little dinosaur before she is vomited from her foe are hysterical and sure to delight any child.
Bellysaurus is an entertaining children’s cartoon with an important message for all viewers young or old and definitely worth your viewing!
Reviewed by Barry Hill