Prayers For Peace

This is a touching film, beautifully animated with pastels on chalkboard, dedicated to the film-maker's brother. Devin Grella was serving in Iraq, but did not come home. Happening across a church in New York, the railings outside are covered in yellow ribbons - one for each American soldier lost in the current conflict.

When the family received Devin's personal effects, one of those was his laptop, upon which was a sound file. Illustrated by the tremendous visuals, partially transcribed as well, it's affecting, moving.

It feels a little odd that this is in the animation strand of Edinburgh's 2010 Film Festival, being a documentary. While it is animated, and beautifully so, tonally it's a fascinating picture of a family's grief in the context of almost countless other tragedies.