Oh, Crab! is a gentle, character-driven animated short about empathy, healing, and the quiet connections we form when we see ourselves in others. The film follows a gruff, elderly fisherman who has grown distant from the world after losing an arm. Living a solitary life by the sea, he carries his bitterness silently — until a chance encounter changes everything.
One day, he discovers a small crab missing a claw. In this fragile creature, the fisherman recognizes his own pain, vulnerability, and resilience. What begins as a simple act of care slowly becomes something deeper: a moment of recognition, and an opportunity for healing neither of them knew they needed.
Told almost entirely through visual storytelling, Oh, Crab! relies on expressive animation, restrained sound design, and subtle body language to convey emotion. The film avoids dialogue, allowing small gestures and quiet moments to speak louder than words. Its strength lies in its simplicity — showing how compassion can emerge even from lives shaped by loss.
Film Information:
• Genre: Animation, Drama • Production Year: 2024 • Country of Production: United States • Logline: A lonely, one-armed fisherman finds unexpected purpose when he encounters a small crab missing a claw. • Synopsis: Living in isolation by the sea, an amputee fisherman spends his days disconnected from the world. When he finds an injured crab that mirrors his own loss, he decides to rehabilitate it. Through this quiet bond, the fisherman confronts his own pain and discovers a path toward empathy and renewal.
Festivals & Awards 🏆
Awards:
• Winner – Best Animation — Butte Film Festival 2024 • Winner – Best Sound Design — Butte Film Festival 2024
Official Selections:
• The 16th Seoul Metro International Subway Film Festival (2025) • Lift-Off Global Network – Sessions (Official Selection) • Short Short Fest (Official Selection) • Butte Film Festival (2024) • Festival Angaelica (2025) • The Root Experience (2025)
About Us
Gift Galaxy is a curated gallery showcasing standout animated short films from artists around the world — shared under Creative Commons licenses or with direct permission.
License & Attribution:
Credits:
• Directed, Written & Animated by: Batu Alpas, Karina Zhou, Lewi Thute, William Zhou Larsen • Music: The David Roy Collective, Julian Cassia • Editing & Sound: Batu Alpas, Lewi Thute • Visual Development: Karina Zhou, Batu Alpas, Lewi Thute
“Oh, Crab!” (2024) Created by Batu Alpas, Karina Zhou, Lewi Thute & William Zhou Larsen Licensed under CC BY 3.0 Source: https://vimeo.com/943082262 License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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