Animation distributor GKIDS acquires North American rights to the Brazilian animated feature ‘Boy and the World,’ directed by Alê Abreu.
New York – GKIDS announced that it has entered into a distribution agreement for the North American rights to the upcoming animated feature Boy and the World. The Brazilian film, directed by Alê Abreu, screened in competition on June 9 at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.
“From the very first notes on screen, Boy and the World announces itself as a special film, and a true discovery. We are excited to bring director Alê Abreu's very personal film to North America, and share a compassionate, musical epic that domestic audiences are sure to embrace,” said Dave Jesteadt, Director of Distribution at GKIDS.
The movie has been garnering accolades at festivals around the world, including a Special Jury Mention at the Ottawa International Animation Festival; an honorable mention at the Festival do Rio; Best Brazilian Film – Youth Award at the Mostra Internacional de Cinema de São Paulo; and Best Animated Film at the 35th Festival Internacional Del Nuevo Cine Latino-Havana.
In Boy and the World, Brazilian artist Alê Abreu brings to screen a strikingly unique visual style to show the conflicts of the world through the eyes of a young boy. Cuca lives a life of quiet wonder, exploring all that the countryside has to offer. But his cozy life is shattered when his father leaves for the city, prompting him to embark on a quest to reunite his family.
The young boy’s journey unfolds like a tapestry, the animation taking on greater complexity and variety as his small world expands. Simple line drawings of the village give way to broad brushstrokes forming giant bushels of cotton lining country roads and sweeps of pastel churned into roaring waves. Approaching the city, industrial landscapes are inhabited by animal-machines, whirling carnival colors and exploding fireworks fill the sky above decoupage favelas, while flashing neon advertisements and garish shop windows illuminate the night.
Entirely wordless, the narrative describes a clash between poor and rich, countryside and city, indigenous and imperial, handcrafted and mechanized – and throughout the tumult, the heart and soul of the people beats on as a song. Accompanying the stunning visuals is a rich soundscape of pan-flute, samba, and Brazilian hip-hop, creating the powerful visceral experience of a passage through life.
Source: GKIDS
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
