Kiwi!
The opening and ending titlecard
Directed byDony Permedi
Written byDony Permedi
Produced byDony Permedi
Edited byDony Permedi
Music byTim Cassell
Release date
  • May 5, 2006 (2006-05-05)
Running time
3 minutes
CountryUnited States

Kiwi! is a 2006 computer-generated animation created by Dony Permedi, a student in the New York City School of Visual Arts, as his Master's Thesis Animation, with music composed and performed by Tim Cassell. The animation's story of a kiwi that aspires to fly created a major Internet phenomenon after it was hosted on the video sharing site YouTube. Unofficial versions of the video pair it with "Mad World" by Gary Jules. These versions became popular viral videos.

Plot

The video itself centers around a kiwi bird who is seen nailing an array of trees to the side of a sheer cliff so that they stick out horizontally. After the kiwi finishes it returns to the top of the cliff, before donning an aviator's cap and suddenly jumping off. As it dives down the cliff head-first the camera view turns sideways, revealing the purpose behind the kiwi's efforts. A tear wells from one eye as the kiwi achieves its dream, flapping its tiny wings as it "flies" above the bunch of trees. The ultimate fate of the kiwi is not explicitly shown (though a sound can be heard at the end of the video that has been interpreted as either a crash or the sound of a parachute opening).

Reception

Kiwi! has received a large following for its deep meaning and heart touching manner. One of the most popular activities in the fan base is to create an alternate ending (usually one where the kiwi survives). As of May 27, 2021, the animation has been viewed over 44 million times. It won official recognition on March 26, 2007, when viewers voted it the Most Adorable video of 2006 in the first annual YouTube Video Awards.[1] This was an event large enough to draw international media attention[2][3][4] with ABC News describing Kiwi! as "so cute it hurts"[2] while the International Herald Tribune, critical of the awards, characterized the video as being "sweet but dull."[4]

See also

  • Gagarin (Ger.) - cartoon about a caterpillar who dreams of flying.

References

  1. ↑ YouTube Video Awards. Retrieved on 2007-03-29
  2. 1 2 Rebecca L. Lee, Goes Hollywood, ABC News. Retrieved on 2007-03-29
  3. ↑ 'Ask a Ninja,' OK Go win YouTube Awards Archived 2007-04-07 at the Wayback Machine, CNN. Retrieved on 2007-03-29
  4. 1 2 Virginia Heffernan, awards the top of its heap, International Herald Tribune. Retrieved on 2007-03-29
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