Longing to be an adventurer like his father, young Yendor sets off into the wild country, alone. Little does the small boy with big dreams know, that his chosen path is a perilous one! Waiting for him around every corner is a fantastical beast - a Grumposaur, a Killwing and the nastiest of them all, the Marauding Scrawnies! Will his skill and wit be enough to get him home again?

Juror's comments: Yendor - The Journey of a Junior Adventurer is different than anything I've ever seen before! What makes this stand out is the type of animation. It is more like a story turned into a short film.

The storyline follows a young boy named Yendor who longs to be an adventurer like his father. He feels that he is old enough, strong enough and mature enough to do it. So, he finally decides to take action and go out to explore. However, what he doesn't realize is that the path he takes is very dangerous. Everywhere he goes there is some kind of beast or challenge. He has to find a way to get past all of these obstacles and make his way home.

What I like about the film is that it's a common scenario, but unique. In this film, beasts and mythical creatures emphasize each obstacle, which makes it stand out. The animation is not full range animation, but it has pretty good movement. What impressed me is how well it tells the story. The drawings are very well detailed and beautiful. The background music is very well suited for the film, enhancing it a great deal and timed to perfection. The music crescendos to coincide with the intensity of the conflict. My favorite part of the film is the narration by Sarah Matthew. She is British I presume, since the film is from the UK.

The message of this film is that you will grow into who you are, you don't need to rush. Yendor needed to realize that he would eventually become the adventurer his dad was. He just needs to be patient and everything will fall into place. Be aware that it does show kids doing risky things that kids might imitate and we see Yendor disobeying his parents by running away. However, as an animated film, these things don’t necessarily elicit imitation.

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 4 to 8. I recommend it for a youth or family film festival because has a great story and message. Reviewed by Maica N., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic