Directed by Rita Basulto, written by Antón Fortes and Juan J. Medina, a boy, Daniel, travels by train towards a dark destination known as the smokehouse.
The Holocaust is a topic which has been vastly covered in film and television, but we keep revisiting it and that’s for good reason, because we need to remember the atrocities of the past so that we don’t repeat them. Especially when you’re taking the route that Rita Basulto, Antón Fortes and Juan J. Medina have which is an accessible and educational one. There’s always going to be a new generation to teach about this horrific moment of history and to be able to do so in a way which respects the harrowing nature, without needing to be graphic or outside of the reach of a young audience is a great thing to have.
You’re always going to get viewers who will see this as something they’ve seen before, and to a certain extent they would be right but it’s not about rehashing the facts, it’s the feeling that it leaves you with. It’s how Humo taps into that deep feeling of sorrow, particularly in that it’s not only viewing the story through the lens of a child but bringing the maternal relationship into the conversation. It’s often that examples of the holocaust will focus on the individual rather than a mother and child; so it opens up the thought of someone not only going through that horrifically traumatic experience but having to watch their child go through it as well. It’s a thought that will leave you with a drastically heavy heart.
The choices that Rita Basulto makes with the style of animation are very interesting. Firstly, there’s a quality to it that feels like a pop-up book, the way that it moves and in how some elements are more three dimensional than others. It also feels reminiscent of a mix of Josep and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio with a touch of Margaret Keane’s style. There’s a variety of textures to it, it presents itself in an unusual manner and that step back from traditional aesthetics helps the narration to hit harder.
Humo is another touching and poignant exploration of the Holocaust. It’s telling this moment of history through the eyes of a child which has the potential to help another child learn from it. It’s accessible and respects the atrocity without needing to throw it in your face. Having all of its compelling animation and narration supported by a simple, elegant strings score is the final note to bring everything together.
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