Foxes flee through the trees, pursued by hunters' rifles. A bee suffocates, poisoned by chemical pesticides that catch her in the middle of her precious work as a pollinator. A rhinoceros, struck by a poacher's dart, falls to the ground in front of its calf. These are the harrowing opening scenes of the animated short film Who wants to live forever, presented in recent days at Cop26 in Glasgow, to bring a message from the animal world to the leaders of the Earth.

Giving voice to the many wildlife species threatened by human activity and the climate crisis is a moving, internationally minded collective work. It was conceived and directed by Italian Matteo Valenti (lecturer at IED Milan), who involved students from 6 academies and universities around the world in creating the animations, before donating the work to the animal welfare organisation Save Me Trust, founded in 2009 by Queen guitarist and activist Brian May.

This incredible video created by students from all five continents shows the devastation that our precious planet is facing.

Brian May

Who wants to live forever, the Queen song becomes an appeal and a metaphor

The partnership between the academic world and Brian May was born from a fortunate insight on the part of the director, who, knowing the British rock star's commitment and his passion for the animation work of our own Bruno Bozzetto, managed to bring May on board and give the film a perfect soundtrack. The images, which show the many threats wildlife faces today, unfold to the notes of an immortal and evocative song, Who wants to live forever, written by Brian May himself and included on the Queen's 1986 album A kind of magic. One of Queen's most beloved tracks and also featured on the soundtrack of the film Highlander, the song has now become the perfect metaphor — as well as the title — for this short film, which takes on the value of a heartfelt appeal capable of giving a voice to those who have none.

"Being able to work with Brian May was a great honour," says Matteo Valenti. "I think back to when I was 15, in 1986, and I was so struck by Queen's music (after seeing the film Highlander at an open-air cinema) that I bought all their records in no time." Driven by this passion, the director and screenwriter managed to inspire everyone and carry the project forward. "First, Brian and I chose, from a few titles, the track to use, and we agreed on Who wants to live forever. Having one of their songs for the video meant giving the project an international character, and from there the idea of involving animation schools from each continent came naturally."

Brian May, "Don't remember me as a guitarist, but for my commitment"

The video opens with a rather striking quote from the Queen guitarist: "When I'm gone, people will no doubt remember me for Queen, but I would prefer to be remembered for having tried to change the way we treat our animal friends." A thought that neatly sums up the great commitment and passion that Brian May puts into supporting the Planet and wildlife, personally driving campaigns and initiatives and denouncing the devastating consequences caused by human actions. "This incredible video created by students from all five continents shows the devastation that our precious Planet is facing," May commented, addressing the leaders gathered in Glasgow.

Without ifs or buts, we are at a turning point that we cannot ignore. The world is watching COP26 and demanding immediate action and solutions from governments.

Brian May

A journey across five continents

The short film is divided into chapters that take us across all five continents, denouncing the crimes and disasters that have brought the Earth to the brink of the abyss: from the mass die-off of bees to the poaching of rhinoceros horn, from water pollution to deforestation, from wildfires to whale hunting. It was made by many young authors from every corner of the Earth, including students from IED Milan, who were entrusted with the section dedicated to Europe. It was produced by Illustration and Animation students Lorenzo Barbolini and Kizito Schimera, who worked with tutors Riccardo Galiberti, Patrizia Russo and Rachele Santini, also making the project their final thesis, which they defended in 2020.

The short film's story concludes with an unsparing dystopian epilogue that shows the future awaiting us — if we do not change course immediately — and leaves us with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." The message sent to the leaders of the Earth could not have been clearer.