Reflection

Take Me Back To You, my animated short film for Bow Seat's 2025 Ocean Awareness Contest, explores the relationship between a girl and a coconut tree that has been with her for most of her life. Through seasons of comfort, loss, and healing, the tree represents a silent companion that offers her shelter, nourishment, and peace. The theme "Looking Inside, Going Outside" made me reflect deeply on my roots and how nature shapes my personal identity and memories as a southeast asian. The visuals and design for the film are inspired by Aceh, Indonesia, which is where I’m from. Being in a coastal area, we have many coconut trees, which are important in both our daily life and culture. In this piece, the coconut trees represent a symbol of resilience. I also added subtle paper-texture elements in the animation and drawings to symbolize fragility, memory, and the passage of time. Through this piece, I want to remind young people like me that nature isn’t just something outside of us. It’s a part of who we are, tied to our personal growth, memories, and future. Even in loss, we can create hope by caring, teaching, and planting something new for the next generation.