W&C Lowenstein’s animated short film Balance struck me as a particularly trenchant satire of the fall of the Soviet Union. Being a Soviet film made near the end of the Cold War, it seemed to critique the flawed nature of socialism and Communism by showing the inherent selfishness of man. The allegorical setting of a flat platform in a grey abyss, with all four nameless men needing to work in harmony to keep the whole thing in balance, showed a Communist system that worked perfectly. However, it was cold and grey, with no sense of joy or adventure. Continue reading...