Today we’re returning to a dark comedy classic that, although released in 2017, rings just as true in 2024. Directed by Swedish animator Niki Lindroth von Bahr, “The Burden” is a wildly wry musical that skewers loneliness, greed, beauty myths, and the existential woes of modern life through a lively cast of animal characters.

The award-winning short film visits a bleak supermarket, hotel, call center, and fast-food restaurant where employees break into song and dance, sometimes to the tune of common sales refrains. “Would you like to sign up for our money-back guarantee? Try our satisfaction guarantee?” monkeys croon. When an apocalypse hits the bizarrely relatable world, the characters jump at the chance for change.

Watch “The Burden” above, and find Lindroth von Bahr’s other films on Vimeo.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article The Burden: A Darkly Funny Musical Punctures Existential Dread with Unusually Cheerful Song and Dance appeared first on Colossal.

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