Alike is a short animated film that keeps resurfacing online, and once you’ve watched it, it’s easy to see why. It’s a quiet, thoughtful story about creativity, childhood and the pressure to conform — and it says more in eight wordless minutes than most parenting articles manage in a thousand words. Here’s why Alike is worth a watch with your family.
Sign up for our free monthly newsletter, packed with ideas, competitions and offers. Did we mention it’s free?
About Alike
Alike was created by Spanish animators Daniel Martínez Lara and Rafa Cano Méndez as a personal project that took four years to complete. It was inspired by their own experiences of becoming fathers. As Daniel has explained, having children makes you constantly question what’s really best for them — and that question sits at the heart of the film.
The story follows Copi, a father trying to teach his son Paste the “right” way to do things. (Copi and Paste — yes, that’s the joke.) Each day, Copi goes to work while Paste goes to school, and each day they pass the same street musician on the way.
At school, Paste draws wonderful, imaginative pictures and invents his own playful alphabet, but his teacher insists he should be conforming and simply copying his letters correctly. Little by little, we see what happens when a child’s creativity is discouraged rather than encouraged.
Colour does a huge amount of storytelling here. Much of the film is drawn in muted greys, browns and blacks. Copi starts each day a vivid blue, but slowly fades to grey as the day wears on. The one thing that brings his colour back is Paste running to hug him after school.
There’s no dialogue in the film — just music — but somehow that makes the message clearer, not harder to follow. It’s a film you feel rather than one you need explained.
Allowing Your Child to Be Creative
Many parents recognise the tension Alike is pointing to. School, quite reasonably, has rules, structure and things children need to learn. But it can sometimes leave little room for a child’s own imagination to breathe.
It’s also easy, in the busyness of daily life, to focus so much on getting kids to behave and follow routines that we forget to simply let them be kids — messy, curious and a bit chaotic.
Making space for creative play outside of school hours, even in small ways, helps keep that natural imagination alive. It doesn’t need to be elaborate — free drawing time, open-ended play, or just following your child’s own ideas for a while can make a real difference.
You can find out more about the making of the film on the Alike Short website.
You Might Also Enjoy
- 11 Creative Ways to Organise and Display Your Child’s Artwork
- Simple Drawing Games to Get the Kids Creative
FAQs About Alike
What is the short film Alike about?
Alike follows a father and son navigating the tension between structure and creativity, showing what happens when a child’s imagination is encouraged versus stifled — all without a single line of dialogue.
Who made Alike?
The film was created by Spanish animators Daniel Martínez Lara and Rafa Cano Méndez as a personal project, inspired by their own experiences of fatherhood.
Where can I watch Alike?
You can find details on how to watch the film, along with behind-the-scenes information, on the official Alike Short website.
Is Alike suitable for children to watch too?
Yes — because there’s no dialogue and the story is told through visuals, colour and music, it works well as a film to watch together with kids of most ages, with plenty to talk about afterwards.
Enjoyed This?
Browse more of our picks on creativity, imaginative play and family favourites over on MyKidsTime — there’s always something new to discover for your next family moment.
Did Alike strike a chord with you? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
