Set in an alternate WWI reality, a heroic pigeon delivers messages across the battlefield, from one side to the other. The messages are exchanged by two soldiers on opposite sides, who, unaware of who their opponent is, are playing a game of chess against each other. As the fighting and the game both escalate, they continue to exchange their chess moves, delivered by the brave pigeon. Whoever wins the game, what's certain is that there are no winners in war.[1]
Production
War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko is an animated short film produced by ElectroLeague studio.[8] The animation and visual effects were created by Peter Jackson's New Zealand-based VFX company Wētā FX.[7][5] Epic Games’ Unreal Engine was used in production to create the imagery.[5] The film was edited by John K. Carr and scored by Oscar-nominated composer Thomas Newman.[7][9]
Collin Souter of Roger Ebert.com praised the film (seen as part of ShortsTV program of Oscar-nominated short films), confessing that:[11]
"Maybe I liked this more than others because it was the last one I watched and, for once, it wasn’t someone narrating a story about their past. And maybe because I’m a sap for the song. I get why people roll their eyes at the end, and I think I did at first, but I eventually found myself going along with its heartfelt sincerity, just like any Lennon/Ono song that wears its heart on its sleeve. The artists at WETA digital collaborated with Sean Lennon Ono on the piece and it tells a good story no matter how hamfisted the ending may be. I went into this thinking we’d be getting a music video treatment of the song, coupled with obvious present-day footage to make a point. This was a refreshing change of pace, both for the program and the approach."
Bea Hammam of 34th Street Magazine stated that the film was stylistically the least creative out of all the Animated Short nominees.[12]