Filmmaker Andrea Dorfman has a way with words. In Big Mouth, she explores the experiences of a bright-minded, quick-witted child, questioning what it means to speak the truth, and coming to understand how our differences make us unique.

Dorfman’s whimsical storytelling is all heart. Hand-drawn puppets dance, skip and cartwheel across the screen as one little girl discovers the complexity of words and that what we say may not be what we mean.

Trudy, equal parts truthful and rude, has an unfiltered and deeply curious way of looking at the world. She honestly points out what she sees—be it a big mole or a big belly! The result is an impressive accumulation of disciplinary notes from her teacher.

Like Trudy, eventually we all learn how to read, make friends and develop a healthy relationship with the truth. A film for anyone, young or old, who has gotten in trouble for saying too much, Big Mouth is an animated short about one of life’s big lessons.