A Touching Short Film About Children with Different Abilities

Short films aren't only products for children's entertainment. Today, we'll talk about one that's about children with different abilities.

Short films and animated films aren’t only products designed for children’s entertainment. Behind their colorful stories, many of them hide arguments that can help both children and their parents to improve as people. Today we’ll talk about “El cazo de Lorenzo” (Lorenz0’s Saucepan), an emotional short film that deals with children with different abilities.

From the time our children are young, it’s crucial to cultivate moral values in them that help them to go through life and fill the people around them with light. We’re talking about lessons such as self-acceptance, empathy, self-improvement, and respect for differences. These lessons will help them to overcome the obstacles that may arise on the road of life. They’ll also allow them to raise their voices when injustice is being committed.

El cazo de Lorenzo: A short film to appreciate children with different abilities

All children are born full of qualities and abilities that make them unique and special. However, whether due to ignorance or lack of tact and empathy, many children can come to feel that those things that make them unique are a burden they need to get rid of. All because of the constant criticism that haunts them for no reason other than ignorance.

“Lorenzo’s saucepan”, is a story by French writer Isabelle Carrier that, due to its great teachings, was turned into an animated short film. It tells the story of little Lorenzo, a very sensitive and artistically gifted child. One day, a saucepan falls from the sky and accompanies him for the rest of his life.

Due to this unexpected event, Lorenzo has to drag his saucepan wherever he goes. Something that sometimes forces him to work twice as hard as other people to achieve basic goals. That little pot, which at first didn’t represent a major obstacle for the boy, is the author’s way of representing those specific qualities and needs that all people keep inside and that differentiate them from others.

Children with different abilities need affection and empathy from their environment

Although Lorenzo strives to lead a normal life and coexist with other people, the truth is that his casserole has gradually become a big obstacle, as everyone around him can only see this object that he drags everywhere and they judge and reject them for it. Because they can’t see beyond his red pan.

However, Lorenzo’s high sensitivity makes him not quite able to understand why he’s being labeled as weird or different. So, one afternoon, tired of dragging his casserole around so much and of coping with the obstacles of his existence, he hides in it and isolates himself from the others. He doesn’t understand the criticism and why he must always carry this object that makes it impossible for him to live normally.

Fortunately, there are people who come into our lives to change our perspectives. Making us understand that there was never anything wrong with us. So, one fine day, Lorenzo meets an extraordinary woman who takes him out of the oblivion and sadness in which he found himself. As she shows him that his red saucepan has never been a problem and, on the contrary, he can take great advantage of it.

The teachings that “El cazo de Lorenzo” offers

The main theme of this short film revolves around children with different abilities and how a kind and empathetic attitude can help them come out of their shells and face life with positivism. A close and personal story that invites all family members, but especially little ones, to accept themselves and not judge their peers through hurtful words or attitudes.

We all carry a past that’s not always visible, but that can condition us to enjoy life with freedom. For this reason, this short film invites us to accept ourselves as we are; but without hurting ourselves too much for all those things (or red pans) that will always be part of who we are. Undoubtedly, it’s a short film that’s worth watching and reflecting on with children.

Finally, this beautiful story makes a wake-up call to society and adults to be aware of the impact of their gestures and words on the lives of children. Because, just as people’s attitudes caused Lorenzo to withdraw into his world, it was the words of affection and understanding of a single woman that made him face life and realize his great potential.