Éva Darabos’ ‘Bye Little Block!’ Is A Surreal Farewell To The Apartment Block Where She Grew Up

Éva Darabos’ charming 2020 student film Bye Little Block! is now available to watch on her Vimeo channel, where it was recognized with a Vimeo Staff Pick.

The 2d short blends grounded and recognizable sets and characters with abstract shapes and impossible movements to tell the story of a young woman who receives the unwelcome news she will soon have to move out of her flat. Overtaken by sadness, a tear falls down her face and hits the ground, launching the film into a surreal panorama of the apartment complex and the people who call it home.

Speaking with Cartoon Brew, Darabos explained the inspiration behind the short:

It’s about a surreal farewell to my beloved blockhouse area where I grew up. The quirky atmosphere and all of the characters of this typically Central/Eastern European neighborhood always inspired me.

Despite its melancholic setup, the film’s playful animation and color palette don’t allow the viewer to get too down. There is far too much going on to dwell on the protagonist’s bad news, and by the end, she seems to find acceptance for the circumstances of her upcoming relocation.

Darabos is an animation graduate from Hungary’s prestigious Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME), where she made By Little Block! as part of her animation master’s program.

The short screened at several prestigious international animation events, including Animafest Zagreb, Pictoplasma, Tallinn Black Nights, and Ottawa, winning best design at the latter.