Directed by Sean Ascroft and produced by Kristy Fransen, the Tropfest website synopsis reads

In a stab-happy world, a sad outcast wrestles with his demons. The story of bubbleboy is a film about being trapped by the past and redeemed by the future.

This whimsical short film works beautifully with Steven Herrick’s The Simple Gift – both texts explore the adventures of a young male as he ventures into the world. Billy searches for somewhere to belong, yet this film’s protagonist is in need of groceries. Both texts use poetry to drive their narrative, although The Simple Gift offers different perspectives from individual characters while The Story of Bubble Boy relies on an omniscient narrator. 

As the film is just over six minutes long, it is easily viewed several times in one lesson. Encourage a discussion on the different aspects of belonging that are shown, then collate evidence for the different textual features that support these ideas. Consider how the elements of isolation and connections are demonstrated by different film techniques and the narrative. More detail is needed to complete this mind map: Bubble Boy graphic organiser

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