When the Day Breaks

In this animated short, Ruby the pig seeks affirmation in the city around her after witnessing the accidental death of a stranger… and finds it in surprising places. With deft humour and finely rendered detail, When the Day Breaks illuminates the links that connect our urban lives, while evoking the promise and fragility of a new day. Winner of over 40 prizes from around the world, the film also features singer Martha Wainwright.
Directed by Amanda Forbis & Wendy Tilby - 1999

[@kairainy6490]

Wow... almost every clip of this video could be an expensive peice in an art museum.

[@ThePowerpointMaster]

But instead we get a red dot sold for millions.

[@africaart]

@@ThePowerpointMaster or a blank canvas named "untitled".

[@l1585]

@@ThePowerpointMaster The Japanese Flag

[@danks8705]

*piece

[@murielleladouceur6414]

What can I say? The ONF is quite impressive. ❤️

[@poochillipickles8525]

He just wanted lemons

[@uchiharl210]

Poochilli Pickles 😂😂😂😂 lol.. i only wanted to laugh... so went in the comments... but now i died because of laughing....

[@rea-lb6bu]

And biscuits!!

[@cyrilanderson]

The really sad thing is I think he was picking up the lemons and cookies and fish for his wife, (now widow) who was coming home on the metro. If I'm not mistaken you can see an older chicken lady at about 8:17.

[@0xVENx0]

And fish

[@Ana-im4dz]

But when life gives you lemons...

[@huongchoi]

for the soundtrack: When the Day Breaks - Martha Wainwright Chickenbone Waltz - Music by Judith Gruber-Stitzer Prairie Blue - Chaim Tannenbaum

[@MarwanBassanio]

thanks man.. I have been looking for the last song for a while now :D

[@arviedino]

is there a full version of that song, When the day breaks?

[@MarwanBassanio]

@@arviedino I have edited and uploaded one to my channel if u want.. but its from this very clip.

[@hildaedmond1290]

Thnx my good person

[@pathbanken1800]

Thanks!!!!

[@matthewjenkins7367]

When being questioned by the police: Officer: So Ruby, why did the chicken cross the road? Ruby: I don't think jokes are appropriate right now...

[@chinolopez3280]

hahahaha dude. That was funny. lol

[@violetlunna]

LOL

[@-KillaWatt-]

Brilliant

[@mikekazz5353]

Officer: cigarette? *Hands her a cigarette* Ruby: yes that's a cigarette.

[@justinbanderra3788]

😂😂😂😂

[@YetAnotherPianoWhore]

The distress is shown so well by the characters but I love the subtlety in the imagery as well! This film is one of the rare ones that can speak with silence and "camera movement" alone-- from the disorienting city montage to the somehow innately distubing image of smashed biscuits and otherwise brand new groceries on the road as a perfect metaphor for life abruptly interrupted (and the dog eating the fish as other life inevitably continues). Ruby's chair that was tipped nonchalantly only a few minutes ago, is now lying on the floor recast in a more ominous light, and even the potato peels seem to acquire new meaning of a past that can't be returned to, even by adding the everyday banality of tea. The montage of the connections linking the separate citizens symbolically and literally was also beautifully done. I love the blending of animation styles for this video and I love how they are made full use of! Ultimately, for better or for worse, life goes on- and we have to learn to move with it.

[@totalmikie]

Alley Cat Your analysis of this quite beautiful & thought-provoking film is equally beautiful & thoughtful. Thank you for this. I was absolutely smitten with this work when I first saw it, and my admiration for it has never faded. It still stuns yet profoundly engages me, every time I watch it. Your eloquent observations have been quite satisfying and also quite brilliant. Take care...

[@sling4425]

Very good analysis. Helped me understand this beautiful animation too.

[@JAzzWoods-ik4vv]

I mean, the audio itself is an absolute wonder. You can play the video, only with your headphones on and you can understand everything perfectly

[@israelsolzasouza2839]

Amei sua análise , você analisou com sentimentos e isso se faz necessário , parabéns !!!

[@abhishekbhattacharjee9486]

You write rich English. Are you Briton?

[@debramcelroy9873]

I find this depressing and get a different message. Instead of affirming connection, I feel like it affirms that no life really matters. Folks go on with their days, For a brief moment Ruby is touched, and then goes on with her day. Just like us.

[@treyk.8802]

debra mcelroy So what are we supposed to do, accept being miserable over each and every loss and never even try to move on in some way? We don't really have a choice but to go on with our day at some point.. it isn't helping anyone to pine over something that can't be undone.

[@Weirdo0258]

Yes!! It's exactly that..

[@bajabl]

She didn’t know him…

[@cosmalad]

@debramcelroy9873 Gay.

[@tirvine9102]

When we first see him we might think he's less likeable than the joyful pig, but when he dies we he how much that life was worth. Photos of him playing hockey, with his children, ect. He didn't deserve that, we feel guilt. Death is a part of life we all must face, sometimes unexpectedly. Life will be full of ups and downs, but the important thing is to look past those smoke stacks and let the sun in.

[@TheOnlyMaggiePonce]

This film is fantastic. I love how the animals look so human. The music choice and the feel of it all is brilliant. Impressionism is the way to go!!

[@jaybee2683]

TheOnlyMaggiePonce if you like human animals, maybe consider looking in to the furry fandom!! We’re an amazing fun fandom!

[@whosgonnaputonthebell6352]

Mia The Hyena "Amazing"

[@yomom8476]

Mia The Hyena this made me laugh lmao

[@RyeToasty26]

TheOnlyMaggiePonce if you like this sort of style but more on a comic try the manga Beastars

[@justsomestuff4971]

I like the use of rotoscoping in the film to pull off those fantastic perspective scenes.

[@literaturix]

This is beautiful. Music, drawings, animation: huh... some water in my eyes? A bit disturbing... but... at least .... so beautiful. All is one.

[@Zavakar]

You shouldn't be pretentious

[@ofhniurebgvhrjebgvhjrebhre6207]

@@Zavakar how tf is that pretentious? u good?

[@angelicaescoo]

I was 17 when I first fell in love with this video, I'm 24 now.. I still look back to this every once in a while. Brings back memories.. thank you for keeping this up. I hope I never loose this. 🙏

[@factualca]

And now you're 25. Welcome to time

[@MrSonicmjc]

Rodoscoping could never look more beautiful at times like this

[@trulyinfamous]

This looks fantastic.

[@kevinsteel7875]

This looks fantastic

[@arknghel9081]

They look fantastic.

[@YukiKunikida]

These look fantastic.

[@TurtleCakesArts]

The moustache in your profile photo is, truly, the most fantastic thing here.

[@hoppetosse8]

aawh - good old handmade art - beautifully artistic animation :) great how different styles just work well together - love it.

[@jordangraupmann7736]

hoppetosse8 there was also a lot of heavily edited real video

[@GinniWallin]

Rotoscoping

[@saintpoli6800]

Rotoscoping is definitely an underused style

[@3dstuff654]

Yeah I miss 2d animation

[@regularaccount4556]

When life gives you lemons.....

[@janehayes2778]

*really... *

[@garcalej]

.....try not to get run over.

[@africaisacontinent2149]

You make lemonade

[@kldn-xtlxmr7675]

You... Buy milk?

[@siiriheikkinen2071]

You burn life's house down with those lemons

[@labrinnibrianna6581]

This reminds me of my mother in a sweet way.

[@suvtropics]

aww. My mom is also kinda like this too.

[@therandomchannel-cr7ox]

I wish mine was 😞

[@skeebeddi]

i searched for the scp but found this masterpiece 👍

[@JackQAnimations]

"We are all connected"

[@origamigek]

"Just because a wire runs from house to house doesn't mean we are connected"

[@waqarshaikh789]

ᴠᴧᴨᴛᴧᴃᴌᴧcᴋ awesome comment

[@Ella-sw3vh]

ᴠᴧᴨᴛᴧᴃᴌᴧcᴋ "Just because you take something literally that doesn't mean it wasn't originally intended to be taken metaphoricaly"

[@Fenrir-np9js]

Wow Great insight Dumbass

[@sunoftheyek8261]

But I still prefer to have a few screws loose

[@alegria1813]

Miss piggy looks so cute

[@tiger_844]

RK800 ikr! She's adorable!

[@sujiliuu]

wilbor

[@philjohnson922]

one of the greatest fuckin animations ive ever seen

[@samwisegamgee1243]

The plot ended up being much lighter than I was expecting, but nonetheless the artwork and animation were very beautiful. I enjoyed the style and fluidity.

[@rafarity]

Better than Zootopia

[@Gabriel-hx6wc]

True, is more deep.

[@cowboysandallthegoodstuff3713]

How can you compare those two things? One is a 3D animated film directed towards children, while the other is a 2D animated short probably directed towards more mature audiences (doesn't have to be an adult). They have different messages, different stories. They're different.

[@rafarity]

Cowboys and all the good stuff it was a joke...

[@cary7261]

zootopia is trash

[@Belicure]

in a way it actually is. As far as I know, with 3D animation, you just create the models, create the landscapes and the rest is a bit simpler from there. They had to put painstakingly great effort into every frame to give it depth.

[@Baklawa123]

hauntingly beautiful

[@ToTheRiversOfBelief]

I did not see anything beautiful like this

[@stacik2905]

I'm in love with the mixture of animals becoming human strangely while the music help caress them along through the dark world where death and pain is involved.

[@dakotahope599]

Staci Koutsis just like with humans

[@tommyblade8093]

Staci Koutsis wait what so what's the story here? Is this video like another version of zootopia??

[@epic.6608]

100

[@ReinerEvans]

The quality was amazing, and I never saw animation such as this and how lively it really was. Fantastic job!

[@thislady987]

Edit: "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." -TheBible🌺

[@Capybaraism]

Good.

[@KimberRose16]

Capybaraism well that’s rude

[@trevrockslml694]

Me 2!! But I kinda like it

[@vangogo6819]

I know what you mean, right now I'm depressed and anxious but at the same time I appreciate the great art in both the illustration and choice of music.

[@redrosey7829]

Same

[@newg4515]

I personally interpret this in multiple ways, the first being about how worthless and how cruel our lives are for us to live our lifetime (represented by pictures of chicken after his death) just to abruptly die from something so insignificant and perhaps teaches us to live each day as it passes. The second interpretation i made from this film is that the world does not revolve around a group of people/event, this was shown towards the end of the film where the wires and electricity which connect to other people is shown. I believe this for two reasons, the first being that life just carries on no matter what and that the future cannot be changed to match the past and that holding onto the past is worthless (indicated by room left in exact same state by the time ruby returned) but also that although we have all these connections (electricity) not everyone is affected by the same event identically hence the people continuing on with life in the other apartments.

[@therainbowlord1544]

When u are an scp fan and realises that this video has nothing to do with 001:

[@Sage.Whisperer]

Amazing art style.

[@earthisms]

This film always leaves me feeling so profoundly sad and empty but in a way that almost feels good. It perfectly encapsulates what it’s like to be a human being. Bittersweet.

[@GarySamuelBesner2024]

I had no idea what this short film was about, and for some reason I didn't realize that someone had died in the accident however, I personally am someone who is tormented with an endless amount of cruel, spiteful, hateful and deceptive chatter, and for nine minutes and thirty-seven seconds, I was completely absorbed by the beautiful animation (it looks like it was drawn using pastels and charcoals), the wonderful singing and the feeling of being back home in the old streets (and possibly neighborhood) in Montreal where my dad was born and raised. The short was emotional, elegant and made simple and ordinary moments feel so important and memorable. Love, Gary

[@LuckyPunkProd]

Saw this on Turner Classic Movies last night. Quite a thought-provoking piece and one of my favorites.

[@LuckyPunkProd]

3 months late, but no. It was a special block dedicated to the notable animated shorts from the National Film Board library. This short film in particular was the last one of the lot.

[@grantbello8695]

Yeah i think they sold it as a collection on dvd too.

[@ThatYoungGuy4]

why did the chicken cross the road?

[@lilmissrockchick4962]

To get away from ruby after she bumped into him

[@garcalej]

A better question would be what was the chicken doing crossing the road on the Sabbath?

[@Capybaraism]

To meet his untimely death.

[@Trisynine]

Ah, I love surreal animations like this. :^)

[@youssefabdelnasser2596]

Me too

[@sethm8432]

This film is magnificent! The only thing that disturbs me is how Ruby (the pig) buys milk, yet we see a cow in 6:47. Just somewhat odd to me.

[@snuffythefloof5448]

Rusty Old Dog MAYBE ITS HUMAN MILK 🤔

[@rabidrabbitshuggers]

Rusty Old Dog If you think that’s weird, get this: When we’re infants, we actually drink the milk of OTHER HUMANS. Straight from the boob.

[@batesianmimic4916]

i know this comment is very old- but i actually have thought about this concept a lot. in a hypothetical "humanoid animal" world, i think this instance would be much like us versus monkeys, if that makes sense? like, the cow person we see briefly is a PERSON.. and the feral cow, in this world, is still a cow. idk if that's how the worldbuilding works in this, that's just how i make it less weird for myself, haha!

[@emfrankson1590]

What about the street dog chasing the ambulance and the Policeman Dog. The animal for human substitutions help us see the universality. It’s so perfectly done.

[@thecrazykentuckydemocrat]

zootopia 2 looks good

[@KimberRose16]

Slamdusky lol

[@suvtropics]

The sequel looks even better

[@jimjensen451]

That's so sad and so creepy in my life!

[@bleedinggumsroberts3579]

I will never get over how "real" this looks.

[@makemeover365]

Does any one remember watching these on CBC or the Comedy Network in the 90's Especially after hours or on Sunday afternoons?

[@abdllaabozhra349]

yes...

[@ЗолотойКонь-х6ж]

Yeah I was wondering what channel this was on, when I saw it.

[@DadCanInJapan]

I loved the NFB shorts. I still think about "The Cat Came Back" every once in a while.

[@anom2619]

Come on out and see the sun.

[@devalcars5873]

The pig is so cute

[@Capybaraism]

The pig has blood on her hooves.

[@SASTREMAN]

Where can I listen to the music in this short?

[@atheosmachina]

Here: www.gruberstitzer.com/Music.html

[@atheosmachina]

Cannot find the Chaim Tannenbaum song though :-/

[@KimberRose16]

Lawrence Makin ahhhh I’ve been looking for this you’re a lifesaver

[@nolem5417]

"Prairie Blue" was made specifically for the short.

[@ThePowerpointMaster]

Please does anyone know the song at the end,it's like the best song :(

[@laurahall3094]

This is rotoscoping I think, right?

[@yourstrulyymadi]

pretty sure

[@andrewsoon8062]

The body movements are so realistic. Did they film real people before drawing the frames?

[@TheLailoos]

Andrew Soon yes! kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6K5ppqaacqqgas Here’s a link to a video of the film-makers describing the process

[@_--_5967]

This is phenomenal.

[@notaname4564]

all that shading! this must have taken forever to animate

[@TheLailoos]

not a name the whole process took 4 years! kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6K5ppqaacqqgas Here is a link to a video of the film-makers talking about it

[@spleenwort7834]

For some reason I'm getting an over the garden wall vibe.

[@childishstalker9855]

mmmmm, the classic meal of Potato shaving and cream. you aint got nothin on this carrots and cream!

[@minke9246]

You find the access tunnel, hidden within a natural cave a mile off the main road. You don't need the keycard. The door is ajar. It smells here. It smells like them. Hopefully, they've moved on. You've come so far already. You can't turn back now. There is a slick trail that leads from the cave entrance and into the depths of the site. If it's blood or shit - or something that smeared off one of those things, you cannot tell. You make a point to avoid it. You're still receiving the distress signal. It only started broadcasting yesterday. Whoever it is - you pray they're still alive. Your footsteps echo throughout empty corridors. Each footfall sounds for all the world like a dozen, as if you're not treading through the dark alone. Elevator is down - so you take the stairs, ending on floor B5: Keter Holding. You pass several empty containment chambers. The horrors they once held are long gone. If you're lucky. The trail takes you to an office branching off the main hall - the source of the signal. The door is cracked open, but stuck. You plant your feet, push with all your might. Something skitters out of one of the rooms to your left and around the corner before you can get a good look at it. Your first thought is 'dog'. It was on the ceiling, though. You take refuge in the room, slam the door behind you. It's dark here. You're safe. You take off your jacket and head wrap. It'd be a damn shame to die from something like hyperthermia after all that's happened. The sole operating emergency light rotates in its casing - casting a pale orange glow across the room every other second. As if the room itself had a pulse. There's shelving haphazardly placed behind the door - a barricade. You scan the room. Soiled clothes, half eaten food. Despite the presence of an adjoining restroom, there is excrement in a bucket in the corner. A pneumatic chamber on the Northern wall would have been delivering consumables to the occupant. The trail terminates in the corner of the room, forming a sick puddle. You spot three pharmacy bottles - further inspection reveals them to be various opioids. They're all empty. There's a desk with a computer atop it. Approaching the terminal, you can clearly see the blinking light of the power button. You take a seat. Turn it on.

[@tiiatanner7616]

Very fitting title and the rotoscoped elements work well with the paint.

[@steffins3203]

Each life is individualistic. Short, mundane moments, taken for granted, can be snuffed out in a second. The seconds tick away for us all as we go about our little moments that comprise our lives totality. Life is a game of inches, seconds, moments, choices. We are all the same.

[@MartianManHunter2258]

Eat the potato skins and throw away the potato? seems legit.

[@cash1793]

The animation is superb story is easy to track why does this have more views this is incredible

[@mikahytonen929]

This piece is very well written, there are so many metaphors in it too

[@nomu_i3312]

*eating potato chips* *potato gets thrown in da bin* *starts crying*

[@ahhkiddnamedness]

I cried too. Such perfect potatoes.... wasted...

[@cosmobane6995]

in this universe, people eat the peelings and throw away the potato

[@sunnynoriega4288]

@@cosmobane6995 *T H A T S T H E J O K E*

[@tramarthomas6105]

@@cosmobane6995 just like how the pigeons aren't afraid of the people because they aren't human

[@josiahmercer311]

Funnily enough, potato peels are one of the few things a pig won't eat.

[@user-nu2vc9mp5j]

the motion and movement feels smooth

[@noratrobert7898]

1 of the best art i had ever seen

[@katie-vr3yv]

very nice animation :)

[@PA-NI-NI]

new hotline miami is weird

[@isabelneves1319]

It's good to know that we are not alone in the world. Thank you so much for your friendship. Trully.

[@softpiglet]

Two months ago, my grandmother suddenly passed away. Due to many different circumstances, such as money and immigration issues with my family, I never got to meet her. I was actually a month away from finally going to Taiwan to see her when she died, and so, when I did meet her, it was at her funeral. Earlier today, something at work reminded me of her, and the stories my mother has always told me about my grandmother, and it has cast a bit if a pall on my night. But somehow, this video showed up in my KZbin recommendations. Pigs are my favorite animal in the world, and I find that I relate to them so strongly that sometimes even watching videos of them playing will make me teary-eyed...i saw a lot of myself in Ruby, and indeed, in my life, I've had a lot of good reasons to hide and shut out the sun. This video was a kind blessing to me, as the child of immigrants who is trying to understand death, and loving someone I never knew. Thank you for making this.

[@hitcircle6275]

Moral of the story : we are all connected (i think..)

[@evna9246]

Dank mini Moon that was my conclusion too

[@pabloezequieldominguez6954]

Dank mini Moon that 30%

[@aboveaverageazzuen2684]

I feel like this film shows a very nihilistic view of city life and life in general. Everything can be done taken away from you in a moment through no fault of your own. One day you wake up have breakfast and make a list of things you need for your shopping, you go to the shop. Get your items pay and leave, next thing you know you're hit by a car. Or a stray bullet or some Nut job with a gun. That's it. You're now dead now it falls onto the loved ones to go through your things and trying to figure out what happened to you. Never Getting any closure and living the rest of their lives greeving your loss

[@lynxvsjackalope1149]

One of my absolute favourite shorts of all time. That thrilling, chilling, overwhelming yet so easily-forgettable and fleeting realization that comes across us every so often, that we are all connected, we all have a story, and those stories go on and on, with or without us. Told in such a charming way. I smile wide at the end of this animation every time. c:

[@TooMuchTelevision91]

Such beautiful work of art.

[@ferdsmand_]

This deserves more views.The style of art is beautiful and quite realistic.

[@wierd_fishez]

Amazing! This is rotoscope right?

[@killedtheradiostar1116]

thought this was about 001

[@chernovbrichtofen4767]

Same

[@audioinheritance8557]

The classic theme shown through this film- life goes on. Very well made- solemn, and haunting.

[@ekaterinaobraztsova4631]

I don't think it has deep meaning. Just a day in the Zootopia during 20th century.

[@bebussound7991]

This is what art should look like, none of this "modern" pieces of shit

[@metrozeegle4985]

Am I the only one who gets some “east European” vibes from this ? It must be the grey city...

[@tatyanabarron1757]

Animation style of it kind of reminded me of such

[@bautipalavecino8929]

I've finally found this short!! I knew I didn't dream it!! I remember how shocked I was when the rooster got run over. That scene mark me, plus the potatoes scene , the lemons ,the bones, and the artstyle were the only stuff that I could remember.

[@ne_tot_kotek]

Потрясающе! Очень завораживает. Спасибо)

[@sunnysalt]

Is this rotoscopted? cause Damn animation is so real

[@tiinmendez3187]

It saddens me that even though people die, everything goes on as if nothing ever happened

[@okkk6117]

i dont see anyone melting at the sun

[@l1585]

If cats are humans in this universe, why are the dogs at 5:25 not humanoid?

[@brianstockwell4069]

Life is a lemon ie sour. Yet lemon is an anagram for melon so therefore life is sweet! Decisions! Decisions!

[@lararedman3707]

I’m really high right now but this is so good the part about death and an entire life being erased felt like a knife in my stomach

[@fraisedesbois7240]

He has the same vision as I have when high.

[@rhayat10]

That was intense!

[@adibasdas]

R Hayat may I ask, what was so intense to you?

[@wessmall7957]

It's like a movie shot with only a 150mm lens and then rotoscoped with animals.

[@bericsimon.743]

This Is art!

[@thelaneman]

One lemon to rule them all...

[@ra4577-d4t]

wooooo i love this

[@maidensapph]

Furries

[@Splanch]

I love the part where the day breaks

[@benone6308]

All this knowledge. Human body, pipelines, perspective, electricity. And many more, were shown in a few minutes. You truly are a genius, man!

[@ivomorales6528]

alguien seria tan amable de explicarme la pelicula? GRACIAS

[@TheRoachDoggSr]

Why are the dogs not anthropomorphic like the rest of the “people?” The dogs chasing the ambulance are regular dogs. Also the horses on the field aren’t like the rest as well! Also the pigeons and fish too

[@booboo7014]

ManFat ShpookyBear369 Yeah, I wondered the same thing too; but if you look at 8:16-18 you'll see a dog, a pigeon, and two crows on the subway, and they're "normal". So to speak.

[@tjacasaur]

I'm confused. Why did the chicken cross the road?

[@tambjafever]

tbh I only came here to make a scp meme

[@SplishSplashPinup]

When life takes back their lemons

[@cosmobane6995]

Has anyone tried eating potato peelings with milk?

[@ESport211]

Just finished watching this one, which I really enjoyed. Though, I watched it through the NFB app on my tab - just feels that much more cozy!

[@sansancchizo11]

Benson Saavedra

[@lessevdoolbretsim]

Incredible artwork.

[@SrLupinotuum]

the things one finds wandering on the web; entertainment at it finest... a hidden jewel

[@ghibli801]

Where can I found the song ? It's beautiful

[@KimberRose16]

chibi sadly it’s only in the animation

[@kyouma5679]

Read the comments above, they have the links you need to listen to the beautiful pieces featured in the animation.

[@antisseptica]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/majcf4dvj8h5ZsU

[@rainbowbridgeecopetcremati4443]

Lemons! Ya can't trust em.

[@tiasmith6223]

Simply amazing