Lunch Hour (Calarts 2023)

A biracial boy living in India is dissatisfied with the cucumber sandwiches his mom makes for lunch every day.
My Calarts BFA 2 film
Music and sound design by Aashray Harishankar
Diya Joseph as Peko and Arun
Kiran Patel as Sunil
Sahana Subramanian as Naomi and Mom
Mithun Jacob as Dad
Check out other films by my classmates!
• 2023 CalArts Character...

[@JM_Buried]

You don't know how much I love this main character's awkward, out-of-place design. Also, great backgrounds that make this relatable situation fresh in a new but familiar setting

[@voseybeans]

growing up biracial always makes you feel outve place and awkward but i love how this film shows how the boys friends are very kind to him about it :)

[@justaguy4311]

I didn't even think about it being a race thing till i saw this comment lol

[@clarityashtons4273]

I plan to adopt and dang it, I may frick up a few times, but I want to make food of their culture if we aren't the same!

[@olivaredito3437]

​@@clarityashtons4273tbh as a person from a mixed background and family, including Indian, too much empathise on culture is stupid, all being Christian is what ensured my grandparents, my parents and my marriage to be until death do us part, culture is pointless at that stage.

[@GourmetPawsTales]

❤🎉 👏. J'adore

[@ur_local_nintendo_ds]

I don't mean to be offensive but what does biracial means

[@brelonwy]

I really love how they don't make fun of his lunch by calling it basic, boring, or thinking it's silly. Instead they express an interest to try something different, that "hey, that sounds pretty good!" I really love it.

[@leucamaclean8900]

Such a fun reversal of the ethnic food trope. And super cute character design 💓

[@lavenderaqua2655]

I definitely related to this as a Jewish child who went to a mostly Asian school (East, South East, and South). When I got older, I met a friend who worked at the local Jewish deli who wasn’t Jewish, but still really enjoyed Jewish food! I remember being really touched when they told me that. The Animation was Amazing! I loved it!

[@minac949]

So glad to hear you related to this :D

[@crustycheetah]

This film is so based, and that food looks so delicious. Wishing so badly rn that I could eat that cucumber sandwich. Amazing stuff gurl, keep up da great work! :D

[@TU-WEN]

HOLD ON WHY IS THIS NOT MORE POPULAR?!?!?!

[@rain8635]

i cried when I saw the main character. His design is so adorable

[@gilgul46]

As A Jewish boy I often got nervous from other people asking about my eating diet and stuff, but it always makes me happy that when they know I can eat something they have they are willing to share and eat together :)

[@lauramaue]

Man, this story and art direction are both so charming. I'm sure you made your dad proud!

[@sophiaoliai3378]

Dude this is amazing!! The amount you've grown over the past two years is CRAZY and I cant wait to see what u do in the future! Love u to the moon and saturn

[@minac949]

Thank you 🥺🥺

[@randomrey6568]

OMG. THE VOICE ACTRESS FOR THE MOM AND THE NAIOMI IS AMAZING!!!!! They both are definite highlights of this

[@embersofthesunset]

this film was absolutely adorable! everything from the character design (so whimsical and cute!) to the color palette and the voice acting was also spot on! just some kids having a cute lunchtime conversation :D

[@sjacob5992]

Lovely animation and great content . Well done Mina . Reminds me of all my friends in medical school who had homes in Bombay and how they always so generously shared the delicious lunches their moms cooked for them with all of us who stayed in the hostel and had boring canteen food on a daily basis . They certainly made our lives more delicious . 🤤

[@Scaruwingl]

This film is just adorable. 10/10, for the film and the cucumber sandwich

[@highaspire8198]

I love how they show the indian food. I’m getting hungry 😢😊

[@woahhsforu8962]

The way the characters are drawn and how they move is so cute!! I love how you can see the shapes so much :>

[@gitanjalipawar3896]

Your aunt Elsa shared this with us ....great idea so many can identify with from childhood...very well done congratulations

[@francescaa8331]

Cal Arts. You have given us many fun animators over the years. Thank you.

[@SADDIQIBRO]

THE SAMOSAS LOOK FIRE

[@Lilacuity]

Biracial representation is beautiful!! My birthgiver is white and can't make Hmong food, of which I crave every week. I don't enjoy american food often so it's a treat when I get my culture's food!

[@minac949]

So glad you could relate to this!!

[@Viasketches]

This speaks so profoundly personal to me! Growing up Indian my mom always made the same pbnj sandwiches for me till I got sick of em, I relate so much to your main character cause i too wished at the time that I had something else to eat instead of the same sandwich everyday. Idli would’ve been such a good lunch! My favourite Indian comfort food ❤️🥺❤️

[@minac949]

So glad to hear that you related to this ☺️

[@ur_local_nintendo_ds]

Same heree I can eat food from anywhere in india I love it all Dosa and idli are my favv

[@samuelderae]

"i make art and animations", what you said. I believe you do and I'm expecting more. More Grace.

[@MixingFlavors]

this made me hungry, from how good everything looks, the animation and characters' designs also share of the same beauty!!

[@Dominique3986]

Watching this made me make a cucumber tomato sandwich. I just needed to.

[@MONOISDEAD]

The way his pupils dilated when he saw his friend's food is so relatable lmao Aside from that i love how the animation is made and how playful and fun the style looks :]

[@lauraanttila371]

I love the art & animation style! Especially the backrounds impress me a lot :) the story is so sweet as well

[@humblescout]

That’s the best thing about food: you can always share

[@krishpan9732]

Beautiful

[@intelligentsoap]

this is so good! no exaggerated drama. this guy's got some great friends :D

[@mariamchacko7933]

Mina I love the story and your drawings are so crisp. Very Mina! I can tell the technical aspects had to be a challenge. . You obviously needed a top notch team and did have one. Cheers! Renee

[@minac949]

Thanks Renee!! ❤

[@rbfloat]

You made all the food look so beautifully! It made me hungry

[@abigailschmitt7601]

I studied abroad in India and this reminded me of how everyone there would share their lunches like a big pot luck. It was always so welcoming!😊 I wish that were more common in western culture.

[@circeeldritchtheworkaholic8934]

So cool! I love the way everything is drawn! Also cucumber sandwiches >XP, feel that

[@andreamilenapreciadocarden4971]

KZbin recommended me this video and I have to say I absolutely loved it! I love all the colors you chose, the characters are so appealing and the food seems so delicious!

[@spiceo2]

Something about this art style is absolutely precious, I love it! Really sweet film 💕

[@stultusdoesstuff8017]

wow this was so cute!! I absolutely love your art style too!

[@zigzaq]

Love the character designs of all the kids sm!! this is so cute :’)

[@mistir]

That was so cute! I'm really sad that our school explicitly doesn't allow food swapping or sharing. I hope it's just elementary school and that it's OK in higher levels. Food trading is traditional!

[@BigWolo]

Oh this was simply delightful!

[@number1zanimallover183]

💗✡️🕉️💗I love this animated short, I like how awesome the friends characters were so nice to each other & offer to trade their lunches. I also like how the main character is part Jewish & part Hindu, I jut animation that includes cultures in cartoons.

[@snubby49]

I LOVE the charater designs😂❤ and their voices are so adorable, how is this so perfect💟

[@SakuraOpalArt]

THIS FILM WAS SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!! SLAYYY

[@oscarwildin8143]

this is Gorgeous ❤️ the color palate was amazing, and you could pause at any moment and have a frame worth printing out. The character designs were unique, warm, and extremely appealing. The voice actors had a wonderful performance as well. I don’t know much about animation, but this is lovely! Thank you so much for sharing.

[@minac949]

Thank you so much!!

[@nacioanacona]

I want to eat this short film. It's just that good :'D The visuals are stunning, the characters are beautiful, and the story is very relatable too. I loved it! Congrats!

[@mammenthomas1413]

Well done Mina

[@BrokenXDI]

Holy heck this is amazing! I love the designs and art style sm! Your art style just gives me so much nostalgia!💖🙏🙏

[@axschia]

Wholesome sandwich moment

[@phenioxflameanimations2380]

My friend, this is Pixar worthy animation.

[@sk8erduck377]

the color, the art style, the brushes, EVERYTHING is so well put together the way the children were drawn makes them so unique!! i absolutely ADORE THISS!! amazing job!! ^^

[@TheLivy81]

Everyone wants what the other person has for lunch. Cool solution

[@dreamtoonofficialchannel]

Daily reminder: You're not useless. You're not a dissapointment. You're not dumb. You're not different. You're not compared to anyone. Because... You're loved. You're strong. You're smart. You're beautiful inside and out. You're the best version of YOU there ever is. and you're human. I know you're going through a lot of stuff right now but it'll be okay. This life is a long journey. In a journey, there are ups and downs. If you ever go down, it doesn't mean you can't go back up. Rest easy and give yourself a treat :) I love you very very much and I just want you to know that.And when you go back up, you have that space in your heart that can help others back up, as well

[@Malpractice101]

Being different isn’t a bad thing, everyone’s different

[@YonatanTalAnimation]

I like this for so many reasons. Well done!!!

[@minac949]

Thank you so much!! Big fan of your work!!

[@elschaetty]

I have this exact trade patnership with an Indian friend I have at school. It always seems like he enjoys my boring nutella sandwich far more than his homemade nan and curry. This short is so freakishly similar I love it!

[@kariduanimations]

I love the aesthetic and colours and style and music and everything!! Character designs are top notch and I love how everything was done. ✨

[@tackyakiii]

RAHHHI LOVE THE DESIGN OF THIS FILM SO MUCHHHH

[@user-hk5ld7vl7g]

I know how this feels, I once had to explain to people what a chocolate flake was and how to eat it with ice cream. Apparently Hershey is so dominant in the US that Cadbury rarely makes an appearance and only on Easter. My friend who moved from England when they were young cried when I gave them their souvenir of a chocolate flake because they hadn’t had one in so long.

[@squigglebean]

absolutely stunning. diaspora folks sometimes have the opposite problem, but at the end of the day, we all think the grass is greener on the other side. secret is, it's great on both sides, just different. :) thank you for this wonderful piece of art, it has the perfect pace, beautiful music, and charming character design. magical!

[@minac949]

Haha yeah! I realized early on how the situation is an inverse of how many Asian American kids feel. So glad you liked it :D

[@gamebowgirl872]

RAHHH this scenery is so pretty. Characters and backgrounds are amazing together! Such a stunning color Pallet. OBSESSED

[@akirafudo4419]

There are four ancient “native”Jewish population native to India know and the Cochin, Bene Israel, Baghdadi Jews and the Paradesi Jews.

[@icanliveforever1243]

That's so cool! :3

[@_vlpin]

This is so relatable. In the sense that all bread east of europe tastes better

[@claireschweizer4765]

This made my day!!! This is sooo sweet!! 🤧❤️ You need more subscribers

[@esa2419]

I looove the style!! reminds me of an old web comic i read in hs

[@Basim_Zaheer]

I love this

[@JakinsStudio]

Cool Story and style!

[@tubingplays201]

The roti looks so good

[@Lemonydropz]

This is INCREDIBLE and I absolutely love this!! I hope more people will see this!!

[@nevermindnever8363]

Lovely and relatable haha!

[@ColorfulMoonGato]

I needed this feel good moment

[@novariverstone5435]

I see you've mastered making food looking better animated than in real life haha

[@skydfly6753]

I ADORE the children's character designs! If this became a TV show, I would watch it through the credits. AMAZING work

[@JMPT]

Greatly Nice

[@that_sam_94]

this was sooo cute! and made me hungry! 🥺❤️‍🔥

[@whylauu3287]

Finally, a calarts film that doesnt have a twist

[@lenchugart]

I LOVE IT

[@annarichard7359]

The designs!!!

[@wuvumgywgy]

Very interesting !

[@sillyveemo]

oh my gosh the characters look so cute

[@StrawberryBunnyBoba]

I adore your character design!! My personal favorite is the boy’s friend with the cat/frog mouth and big eyes.

[@tomsouzas]

Que bonitinho!

[@meepmaster3863]

It’s so real but also really sweet, good job dude!!

[@tortillachips-nn8dj]

Sent this to my transferee friend from abroad. Hopefully she gets the hints and knows that I care about her💖 even if she eats desserts for breakfast, which was definitely a culture shock at first hahaha

[@zoesakurablossom5327]

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH AHHHHHH The character designs, THE COLOUR PALETTE, EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS IS BEAUTIFUL! Congratulations on such excellent work!! 💕 ✨

[@minac949]

Thank you sm 😭

[@_zo0zoo_988]

❤️❤️❤️

[@ayoz3823]

super cute

[@theloveyourfacegal2773]

Nice artistry

[@kazalmilk]

UGH I am in love with this film- I’m a sucker for warm tones and the colors are so stunning. The character designs are so adorable; you knocked this out of the park! 🥪

[@artxzay3300]

The music is awesome

[@Nerdgirl298]

Love from India 🤍

[@winndixiedeli]

oh that was so cute thank you

[@mariahgonzalez3919]

Cute, loved the simple story and the artstyle! Perhaps the boys mom isn't indian so she doesn't Cook indian food often?

[@avosmash2121]

This is so wholesome and adorable! I would love a tv show like this about culture and self acceptance made for kids!

[@ayeshaqintar350]

❤

[@JuliaGarcia00]

this is so cute! loved the simply and typical story and also, the main character ahhhhhhh so cute🥺it made me happy thank you so much

[@spamreplyer2601]

Watching this hungry goes crazy

[@ur_local_nintendo_ds]

As an indian in a school where people from all over the country study we legit share our food to the point its a buffet and if you open our box, youll find remains of idli, dhokla, roti, curry, every possible indian food. Its amazing tbh

[@Malpractice101]

That sounds awesome, wish every school had that kind of community

[@funnniefun]

AAAA the food looks so delicious omg!! Also the artstyle is so cool too i just love how the characters look

[@Inculturapedia]

Great animation, character designs, backgrounds, and ambience! ❤

[@qwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww]

nice short

[@kairneya]

Hey mina, loved your film Keep going

[@Joshadowolf]

My mom made me a different meal for school lunch, because she was a great cook. Really miss those days between 1996 and 2005. 😭