A Crab in the Pool (French: Un trou dans la poitrine) is a 2023 Canadiananimated short film about hardship and grief, directed by Alexandra Myotte and Jean-Sébastien Hamel.[1] The film premiered at the 2023 Fantoche animation film festival in September 2023, and has received several nominations and awards, including the Best Canadian Animation Award at the 2023 Ottawa International Animation Festival and the Audience Awards for Best Animated Short at the 2024 South by South West Festival (SXSW).[2][3][4] On December 17, 2024, A Crab in the Pool was shortlisted for the 97th Academy Awards in the category of Best Animated Short Film.[5]
Plot
The film centres on Zoé, a teenage girl haunted by an intimate terror, and her younger brother Théo, who flees reality into a fantastical world. As the pair spend a scorching afternoon by the pool, they must find a way to heal their relationship.[6][7]