Rob Munday

Short of the Week alum Leo Verrier (Dripped) returns with 9-minute animated short The Seven Red Hoods – a gritty and imaginative retelling of one of the Brothers Grimm’s most famous fairytale’s… Sneewittchen, aka Snow White.

Very (very) loosely based on the original story, Verrier’s reimagining of this classic story feels more Tarantino than Disney, as we witness 7-criminals take a fair-skinned beauty hostage and hide out in the middle of the woods.

Feeling almost like a contemporary ‘origins’ story for the initially anonymous Dwarfs (they weren’t named in the Brothers Grimm tale), The Seven Red Hoods only truly begins to indicate where Verrier’s narrative might be heading as it draws to its musical conclusion.

A beautiful looking film, Verrier and his team combine miniature sets shot against green-screen, with animated characters and backgrounds added to create the perfect setting for this retelling of a fantasy tale in a real-life scenario.

Though the idea of centring a film’s narrative around a fairytale isn’t exactly a new and original premise, it’s the approach and angle Verrier adopts for his short that makes it such an intriguing and entertaining watch.

If you’re hoping for cute Disney-esque animals then this probably isn’t going to float your boat, but if you’re looking for a truly original spin on old classic The Seven Red Hoods should leave you eager for more.