Short Film Review: ‘Humantis’ – What Happens When You Don’t Conform?

Sometimes nonconformity can be the biggest challenge that you would face, especially when it is met with resistance by everyone else.  

Filmmaker Paris Baille tackles these themes with this interesting and creative short film titled ‘Humantis‘. The film is bold, thought-provoking and technically impressive even without needing a single line of dialogue.

At its core, ‘Humantis‘ is about change and the resistance it often meets. The narrative is set in a strange and captivating world inhabited by a species called the ‘humantises’. One of the creatures begins to physically change. This particular humantis colour breaks the uniformity that it is surrounded by. It starts to stand out in the crowd of others. And that change begins to feel uncomfortable not just for it, but also for the others around who appear to live in perfect uniformity. The humantis get pushed and ostracised. It now has to face rejection and isolation.

The brilliance in Paris Baillie‘s short film is in this. It is a narrative not just about looking different and nonconforming to standards. It is also what happens when you break out of the mould and refuse to fit into the constraints of the systems that have been built to keep everyone the same. There’s a clear metaphor at work here, but the filmmaker is smart enough not to spell it out and that is why there is no dialogue for this film. Instead, she lets the visuals do the talking. And they speak loud and clear.

Paris Baillie committed so much of herself to making this film. She didn’t just direct it. She wrote it, shot it, edited it, and even composed the music. And she chose a very creative and laborious stop-motion animation style to make this 10-minute short film. It’s not flashy or over-produced. Instead, it leans into the medium’s handmade quality, using it to create a living world. You can almost feel the material under your fingertips like they are actual living thing on your screen. This kind of all-in creative effort is rare, and it shows. Every detail feels deliberate. Every frame is packed with texture, tension, and care.

The choice to exclude dialogue isn’t just a gimmick either. It’s a commitment to visual storytelling. The narrative relies on the movement of the creatures, the music, and the sound design to carry its emotional weight. The score, composed by Baillie herself, is minimal but feels emotionally succinct to convey the film’s message. It builds and breaks at the right moments, guiding the story without overwhelming it, and the silence in between speaks volumes.

The only problem with this film is that it might not be immediately understood by everyone who sees it. Even with how simple and direct its message might appear to be. The narrative presents to you a character, a situation, and a conflict and trusts that you would be able to connect the dots and make meaning out of it.

Nonetheless, it is a great short film. It asks a simple question: ‘What happens when you change, and the world refuses to accept it?’ The answer isn’t easy, but I believe the desire to find answers to this question can be sparked by this film.

In just under 10 minutes, ‘Humantis‘ punches far above its weight. It only requires more than just a passive watch to be able to understand and appreciate. Hopefully, everyone who gets to see it gives it all the attention that it needs.

I will score it 4 out of 5 stars.