'Stark and poignant': Baroness Helic reviews Kate Bush's 'Little Shrew'

Little Shrew | Image courtesy of: Kate Bush, Jim Kay & War Child

Baroness Helic

@arminkahelic

In 2022, as the war in Ukraine erupted, Kate Bush began work on an anti-war animation, Little Shrew, to highlight the plight of children affected by conflict. The film is inspired by her song Snowflake, in which her son, Albert “Bertie” McIntosh, is the lead vocalist. Although the Ukrainian conflict was the catalyst, the film relates equally to wars in Sudan and Gaza, exposing our stifled compassion and selective humanity.

Bush’s choice of a Caucasian pygmy shrew as the protagonist symbolises vulnerability and seeks to evoke empathy more effectively than a human child might.

The shrew’s journey through a war-torn landscape illustrates the indiscriminate suffering and psychological toll on young lives. Bush explains her decision: “I felt that people might have more empathy for a vulnerable little animal than a human.”

The shrew’s journey through a war-torn landscape illustrates the indiscriminate suffering and psychological toll on young lives

This choice reflects our desensitisation to human suffering and invites us to rediscover our compassion. Often, we view conflict through a political or geopolitical lens, overlooking its human impact.

The film’s stark black-and-white visuals, inspired by Jim Kay’s illustrations, enhance its emotional impact. A poignant moment includes a photograph by Ukrainian photojournalist Maksim Levin, bridging animation with reality.

Bush’s work is a reminder of the scars of conflict and the need for empathy and action. In a world where pictures of wounded, burnt and maimed children have been all but normalised, perhaps the choice of shrew over a human child might wake up our stifled humanity. The substitute might not be necessary. But let us hope it proves effective.

The number of children killed in recent conflicts has reached historic and tragic proportions. In Gaza, more than 16,000 children have been killed in the past year, according to the UN. In Sudan, at a very conservative estimate, around 18,000 people including many children have been killed, according to Save the Children. In Ukraine, child casualties skyrocketed in the first half of 2024, bringing the total to around 2,200, Save the Children said. These figures do not include the large number of dead children unaccounted for, as well as the vast numbers injured and displaced. 

Baroness Helic is a Conservative peer

Little Shrew
Written and directed by: Kate Bush
Concept artwork: Jim Kay
Animation: Nicolette van Gendt
Free to watch:  www.warchild.org.uk/kate-bush-short-animation

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