Animals at BFI Southbank

Inventively blurring the lines between fantasy and reality, Animals tells the peculiar story of Pol, an introverted music fan who still has conversations with his childhood imaginary friend, Deerhoof, despite now being in his teens. One day, Pol decides he has outgrown his pretend friend (who takes the form of a walking, talking teddy bear) and throws Deerhoof into the river. Now Pol must get by on his own, battling the pressures of high school, and attempting to understand growing feelings towards his enigmatic classmate Ikari. Consistently unexpected and creative, this curiosity is filled with dark wit and cunning surprises. Shades of unconventional teen films like Donnie Darko or Elephant may be apparent, but Animals is very much a work of distinct originality, signalling first-time filmmaker Marçal Forés as one to watch.