Cosmic Fling: A Charming Animated Short About a Lonely Space Garbage Man

Cosmic Fling is an unexpected delight. We don't often get to see new animated stories told with marionettes. It tells the story of an average down-to-earth garbage man. Well, not quite. Stan works in outer space – and it’s his job to clear up the mess that humans (inevitably) leave behind. If you think that’s far fetched, read our article about lunar leftovers to see how the moon became a trash can (and why the future might see jobs like this created). Poor old Stan ekes out his existence harpooning space debris – and that’s what he uses for sustenance too. Whether he has done something heinous to deserver this, we are never told, but I think that Stan simply thought the job seemed like a good idea at the time… Regardless of how Stan ended up on his lonely satellite, what he really misses is company – and what he longs for is love. So, when Beatrice turns up on a comet, he is smitten. Yet all too soon, she is whisked away and Stan must wait until she returns to try and win her heart.…