After a murder of crows kidnaps her little brother, a young girl ventures into an enchanted forest inhabited by talking animals and magical beings, where a looming war threatens everyone’s fate.
This is the story of Wildwood, from stop-motion animation studio Laika, an ambitious project that took 16 years to reach the big screen and is already tipped as a contender for next year’s Oscars.
To put the lengthy production into perspective, director Travis Knight joked at the film’s Los Angeles premiere that 16 years ago, Barack Obama was beginning his first term as US president.
Hundreds of people devoted years to bringing the film to life through their hands and imagination, Knight told AFP, arguing that this human creativity cannot be replicated by computers.
In an age of artificial intelligence, Knight champions stop-motion animation, a technique that captures the movement of physical objects frame by frame to create the illusion of motion.
He described the film as a celebration of human artistry and effort, noting that computers have never experienced loss, joy, love or heartbreak.
Wildwood follows Prue McKeel, voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee, as she attempts to rescue her brother from the Impassable Wilderness, a mysterious forest outside Portland, Oregon, hidden from ordinary people. Accompanied by her friend Curtis, voiced by Jacob Tremblay, she discovers a fantastical world threatened by ambition, grief and the possibility of war.
Knight described the film as an expansive fantasy that also explores profound emotions and experiences shared by people at different stages of life.
The voice cast, which includes Angela Bassett, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali and Awkwafina, helped shape the characters’ movements. Their gestures were recorded during voice sessions, allowing animators to incorporate their mannerisms into the film.
Animation supervisor Brad Schiff said Wildwood represents a technical milestone, particularly in its facial expressions and variety of animals. Each previous Laika production, he explained, had helped advance the studio’s research and development.
Inspired by Colin Meloy’s book of the same name, Wildwood also pays tribute to Portland, where Laika is based.
Knight said the film draws on the city’s distinctive character, adding that the more specific and intimate a story becomes, the more universal it can ultimately feel. -AFP
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