Warning: You may need to grab some tissues before you watch this. But not because it is about being gay or coming out or any of the usual gay angst topics you might expect. Teddy, a short film made by a group of high school students in Warsaw, Poland, contains none of that, but simply shows the growing up of a regular girl who happens to be a lesbian.We see the moments in a little girl’s life as she becomes a teenager, and the entire film is shot from the point of view of her beloved teddy bear, hence the title. Like the teddy bear, you’ll want to love her unconditionally, because you watch her grow up. There are no words, as no words are needed.

Its universal message, and the reason why it’s so emotionally charged, is that it reminds us that we all have an expiration date, and how time passes slowly, yet all too quickly. Life is made up of individual moments, and this young filmmaker captures them poignantly, and beautifully. Teddy is truly a short masterpiece.

Written and directed by Natasza Parzymies, who also stars in the film, it is a refreshing take on normalizing the gay experience, which is really just the human experience. I hope to see more from her in the future.