The world of children’s cinema

Spanish filmmaker Nacho La Casa screened ‘Ozzy’, (91-minute) 3D animation at the International Children’s Film Festival. He said the response of the kids to his film is tremendous. “I am happy to see the children enjoyed certain scenes in the film.”

Sharing about the movie he says, “‘Ozzy’, a friendly, peaceful beagle has his idyllic life turned upside down when his family leaves him and goes on a holiday to Japan as no dogs are allowed!”

Unable to bring their beloved Ozzy along for the ride, the Martins settle on the next best thing, a top-of-the-line canine spa called Blue Creek. This fancy, picture perfect palace place turns out to be a facade constructed by a dastardly villain in order to capture dogs. Once his family leaves, Ozzy instead is locked up in the real Blue Creek: a prison for dogs, run by dogs from where no dog has ever escaped! With the help of his new friends: Chester, Fronky and Doc, Ozzy comes up with an ingenious and hilarious escape plan.”

“After working on the preparation, writing the script, background correction, we released the movie last October in Spain and it was successful there and this year we are at International Children’s Film Festival. Ozzy has the ability to reach audiences around the world.”

Nacho La Casa has directed television programmes such as ‘Pecado Original’ (‘Todos Contra el Chef’) and made many live hours at the Euro 2008 in Spain, with the broadcast from the giant screen that was installed in the Plaza de Colón in Madrid. “For a movie, you need to complete the whole story in certain time, however, for television we can take our time and can change the story if we want,” Nacho La Casa shares.

What was challenging? “Making an animation movie itself is a challenging task and releasing it across the globe is another major task. Making animation films is expensive and is a huge challenge,” he states.

He was barely 12 years of age when he gave glimpses of his writing abilities and a creative streak while penning poems. Today, as a 46-year-old, Iranian filmmaker Gholamreza Sagharchiyan is up there amongst the finest in the craft. The prodigious talent has covered the entire creative gamut, including plays, script and screenplay, to evolve as a master of movies.

Gholamreza was in Hyderabad to screen his film, ‘Houra’ during the International Children Film Festival.
About ‘Houra’, which was released in 2015, he says, “It is a touching subject, as it revolves around how a teenager, Hadi, attempts to keep intact the only legacy his mother had left behind – a small garden that abuts a desert. Because of a dearth of water, the garden gets dried up. The railway expansion project is another catastrophe that is waiting to happen. Even as he is concerned about saving the garden. He has an ailing younger sister, Houra, who refuses to talk after their mother’s death.”

He says that he always wanted to create something for the young audience. “It was my childhood dream to make short films for children. I am happy that I am finally doing that. I also intend to show the world the real Iran, which is reeling under acute water crisis,” Gholamreza shares.

There is a maturity of thought and worldly concern for this filmmaker. “I hope India should not have water problems. However, people who are living in remote areas should be allowed to relocate to nearby towns to overcome their difficulties, at least partially,” he says.

“I made ‘Houra’ against a $1,00,000 budget. I will screen it next in China because even they go through such trauma. I want to draw the attention of the entire world to the water crisis,” says Gholamreza, who ‘enjoyed watching ‘Sholay’ and ‘Baahubali’.