| Keep in a Dry Place and Away from Children | |
| Director: | Martin Davies |
| Studio: | bolexbrothers |
| Runtime: | 10 minutes |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Language: | English |
Keep in a Dry Place and Away From Children is a 1998 short film by Martin Davies[1] and produced by bolexbrothers. The film features a soundtrack by Pram, who released the music as an EP in 1999. Reception for the short was positive, with the film winning several awards at various film festivals.[2]
The animated short centers on a baby that is half-human, half duck that becomes fascinated with a box of matches with the image of a swan imprinted on it that an adult left on the kitchen counter. As his toys watch, he breaks out of his crib and manages to discover in a cupboard, his wings, which had been taken away from him at birth. The baby grabs the matches and lights one, only for one of his wings to catch fire, plunging him into a sink full of water. His toys then spring into action in an attempt to rescue him, some destroying themselves in the process of trying to get to him. The baby manages to pull the plug, draining the water and inadvertently sending some of his toys down the drain. The baby is then shown motionless at the bottom of the sink except for a single hand twitch. A toy falls next to him and it's left ambiguous as to whether he survived the ordeal.