So often, popular animations leave us with a sense of warmth. A feel good energy that the bright colours and cutest characters bring into our hearts. I often find myself putting on an animation to fall asleep to, finding peace in it.
However Ralph, the little white rabbit who recently crossed my screen, left me with the severe opposite of all of the aforementioned feelings, and I’m not going to lie, the film will probably do the same for you. And the truth is? It needed to happen. I needed to feel the cold, sad and honestly sick feelings that sunk in, because how else would change be inspired?
Something feels wrong from the beginning. We see Ralph sitting excitedly with his little clapperboard, but his painful pink and swollen eye hurts our viewing. It feels like it shouldn’t be there, and yet..
I’ll let you watch the short film, and feel what you need to feel. Warning, it’s heart wrenching, and painful. But also so, so necessary to shed light on animal cruelty in lieu of cosmetic testing. It’s still happening. Scroll down after you’ve watched the video and we’ll chat more.
WATCH: Save Ralph: the short film by Spencer Susser featuring Ricky Gervais, Zac Efron, Taika Waititi Olivia Munn
View this post on Instagram
Yeah, wasn’t an easy watch. Ralph’s character felt like he was just in the wrong setting, right? He embodies a character so positive, it was like he had got lost on his way to Disney’s Studios and ended up somewhere very dark and twisted. His little eyes stained with pain, but hidden by a can-do attitude, look at you, and almost ask you without actually asking you to help him get to that feel good animation. The one he deserves. The life he deserves. Don’t even get me started on when he starts to tear up eating his cereal on the way to work. You feel like a traitor almost, for letting him go.
In SA, we’re still purchasing and importing brands who test on animals. Our Animal Protection Amendment Bill of 2020, which was meant to prohibit the sale and manufacturing of cosmetics tested on animals, and criminalize the act, still hasn’t come into fruition.
The point is this: If I, and likely you too, felt this way for Ralph and his friends who are animations, the feelings only amplify when it comes to the real life Ralphs. As Capetonians, there’s an incredibly special place in our city’s heart for animals, and we need to use our power for the absolute good.
If you wanted to reach through the screen and help him but felt so useless, (and I was right there with you feeling that way), there’s so much we can actually do. @hsiglobal has a petition up, to stop animal testing and it’s directly targeted at SA. Sign it, watch the film and share it with your friends. #SaveRalph.
Picture: @spencersusser