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“Pucha the cat, who is also an astronaut, explores various planets in her quest for the meaning of life. Will she find the answers she’s seeking? “Meow or Never” is a short stop-animation film directed by Neeraja Raj, who co-wrote the script with Vanessa Rose.
The creators of the film blend traditional stop-motion animation with retro arcade-style special effects, delivering an adorable story about a cat’s thrilling space journey. “Meow or Never” begins with Pucha excitedly singing a song about her quest, but her excitement is abruptly interrupted by an alien creature when she lands on a new planet. While hostile at first, Pucha strikes a friendship with the creature that resembles a puppy and the two explore the planet together.
With a 9-minute runtime, the short initially appears to target children, yet quickly transforms into an introspective musical exploring themes of existentialism and even takes some jabs at the concepts of religion, worship, and mob mentality.” So, while the first few minutes were vibrant in tone, the second half is imbued with darker shades, reflecting the more serious themes that Pucha ponders upon. Sheila Atim lends her beautiful singing voice to Pucha, while Jayne Wisener provides contrasting youthful vocals for the puppy.
Does our protagonist find what she is looking for on the new planet in the end? Sort of. Is “Meow or Never” worth a watch? Yes!
The film is now available to watch on YouTube. It’s also embedded below.
