Stairs

Stairs is a dark, allegorical animation that follows the arduous journey of a water carrier. The story begins deep underground, where the protagonist—a middle-aged man dressed in medieval clothing, with a lantern around his neck—draws water from an underground lake to carry it to the surface in wooden buckets. The film depicts human struggle, perseverance, and the passion of life. Even water brought up at the cost of the greatest torment can only nourish a withering flower before the rain washes everything away.