A four-minute, family-friendly, musical animated film about Maggie Mae, a constant shopper who buys things she doesn’t need. When she gets buried in Styrofoam, tissue, and silly purchases, she learns to recycle and reuse.

Juror comments: A valuable lesson full of color and with a catchy song! MAGGIE MAY, An Environmental Story is a short film that teaches a great lesson that has never been more important than right now. The animation of the characters is well done and makes the story more appealing. The way the story is narrated, using music, makes the lesson easier to learn and to remember for future scenarios.

Aunt Maggie May loves to travel, and she collects souvenirs after each trip. However, she will have to learn how to deal with all the trash in her house, and she will learn a great lesson about helping the environment.

The continuity of the storyline is great. It shows how something small can lead to a bigger problem if is not addressed early enough. It also shows how adults and their behaviors can have major effects on children, such as how the little girl was observing all the actions that Aunt Maggie May did regarding her trash. The story develops in a way that both the problem and the solution are easy to identify and apply to real-life scenarios. The animation of the film portrays daily aspects very accurately. Each detail is well-designed and full color, which makes them appealing and easy to associate. The film shows different places that are easy to recognize, such as a house, the store, the planet Earth and the recycling plant. The transitions between each scene help to the continuity of both the story and the song. As this is an animated short film that focuses on Aunt Maggie May and her niece, each location reflects their daily lives. The shots that include the Earth are well done, as they show most countries where the plane is flying from above.

The music by Elliot Sheridan is the main factor of the film. It narrates the storyline and moves the scenes according to what is being sung at the moment. The song is catchy and the words easy, which makes it easier to learn and to remember. The instruments can be all heard and appreciated by the watcher. The song is energetic, joyful and it helps to highlight the overall lesson of the film. The animation by Kevin Mark is remarkable. Each character is well designed and is easy to recognize who is who and what role they have in the film. All the details of the film are well executed; there are some scenes that mix fantasy characters, which makes it more appealing. Donna W. Guthrie is the director, writer, and producer, and she delivers an engaging and relevant film.

The message is that recycling can make a difference to the planet. The words "recycle, reduce and reuse" have a great impact, and how we decide to act will mark our future and that for the coming generations. Collecting memories does not mean collecting trash and unnecessary materials, as the most valuable things in life cannot be bought or collected on shelves. Showing younger generations how they can start changing the world by just recycling can lead to a better future. The film makes me want to learn about ways to recycle and how I can use those ways in my community. It makes me want to look for recycling plants near me and take all my trash and recycle it to help the planet. The scenes where Aunt Maggie Way and her niece are going through all the trash and the recycling bins are so much fun to watch! They really show all the details and the emotions in the characters' faces well. I like those scenes because they show how recycling works and how to separate the trash, so the viewers will learn to recycle in their own communities.

I give MAGGIE MAY, An Environmental Story 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 4 to 18, plus adults. This film shows recycling in such a simple way that everyone can watch it and still learn the main message. With the use of music and colors, younger children will understand the importance of recycling better. Recycling is an action that families should practice at each of their homes so the world can continue to be the beautiful and diverse planet that we all know. This would play well in any festival that includes films about the environment, recycling, activism, and family. Reviewed by David O., KIDS FIRST! Juror