We’re delighted to share a powerful new short film created by our partners at Young Carers Illustrations and filmed by acclaimed Japanese documentary filmmaker Mari Yamamoto.

Following the success of Ana Graça’s charming picture book Young Carers in Bunnyland, their team held a series of creative workshops with young carers—including participants from Kingston Young Carers.

These workshops invited children to share their ideas for new illustrations and storylines. Now, inspired by these conversations, Ana is beginning work on a second picture book.

This moving short film highlights the importance of identifying young carers at an early age and features Ana using Kamishibai—a traditional Japanese form of storytelling—to engage the children in meaningful discussion.

Kingston Young Carers have played a vital role throughout the project, helping shape the stories, choosing character names, and contributing to the creative process in a truly collaborative way.

Eighteen-year-old Helen Abdullah, a Kingston young carer, shares her own experience in the film. She explains how being identified as a young carer at just five years old changed her life—and how the support she received from Kingston Carers’ Network (KCN) made a real difference. Helen also speaks passionately about the many young carers who go unidentified for years and miss out on the help they urgently need.

This film is not only a celebration of young carers’ creativity, but also a call to action to ensure every young carer is seen, heard, and supported as early as possible.