What purposes do borders serve? To separate some people from others. To not let others through. To outline a territory belonging to the people. Hence a need to guard the border and maintain its borderline.
Recently I stumbled upon the following quote:
"When you think of it, borders are paradoxical. They connect what they aim to divide." (source)
After putting more thought into this observation it becomes clear that borders are artificial, unnatural constructions, especially if they aren't real but only imagined, or supposed to exist at certain locations. What this leads to is that borders change over time. Either because of natural processes that move borders physically, or as a result of social processes - people living nearby are likely to interact with each other more or less closely in one way or another. Not to mention a desire of some people to expand their territories, which isn't uncommon, too.
Forces that guard the borders, on the other hand, can rarely accept this. Their sole task is to prevent such changes. And when the changes nevertheless happen, a war comes.
This short movie precisely depicts the process described above. In its abstract animated world people are presented as matchsticks, and this is not accidental. People are often hot-headed, and inflammable heads of the matchsticks perfectly emphasize the fact. This peculiarity of human nature only adds fuel to the fire of war.
And what has it all started from? Ah, just from some differences in opinions and beliefs. In this short film we may observe disastrous consequences of establishing borders aimed to isolate such differences. We may see that border in no way help prevent arguments. Conversely, they can cause even bigger arguments. A model of a physical border and an armed war used throughout this movie should certainly not be taken literally. The scenario may apply to any kind of arguments between people.
Watch it on Facebook at the link provided (no FB account required).
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150285891343548
My vote: 8 of 10 (although there isn't an IMDB entry for this title, so this is my appreciation, not a vote)
