Pickle is by far my favorite short of the Full Frame Documentary festival this year. It's a simple tale of a couple and their slightly-doomed love of pets.
Through animation and interviews, the Nicholsons take us through their history with pets and animals of all sorts. For every calm and healthy lap-chicken, there are two other birds picked off by predators. Their mostly-blind dog has outlived the fish who couldn't swim, and the goose's funeral is a reverent affair.
We never get to see the eponymous Pickle, which is a little disappointing...but we do get photos of the paraplegic possum in his hand-crafted cart. Tom Nicholson brings a rare genius of design and engineering to bear on the physical disabilities of their non-human companions.
More than anything, Pickle is about caring. Director Amy Nicholson cares deeply for her subjects (her parents), and the whole film positively oozes warm devotion to all living things. Tom and Debbie are completely at ease, good humored, and a joy to watch. The line animation used to bring long-dead members of the Nicholson menagerie is fast-moving and witty, giving whimsical life to the characters from their stories.
Not sure how you can see it outside of the festival circuit, but it's worth the price of admission if you have the chance! There are some screenings at upcoming festivals here: http://www.picklethefish.com/.
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