Boy and the World (O Menino e o Mundo)

Director(s): Ale Abreu
Country: Brazil
Language: No intelligible dialogue
Animation | 2013 | 79 min
Genre: Drama, Experimental
Recommended for ages 8+ (Parental Guidance: Brief animal violence.)

This wordless, evocative, uniquely original animated film follows Cuca, a young Brazilian boy who ventures from his simple countryside home into a neon-infused, carnivalesque metropolis in search of his father. It’s an audio/visual feast. When the credits roll there is a good chance your interpretation of the film might vary from others—but what a ride!

Open your senses to a refreshingly original, uniquely visual animated film from Brazilian artist Alê Abreu. Employing everything from mosaics to watercolors, the film overflows with delight, exploding with vibrant color and samba/hip hop rhythms. The story focuses on Cuca, a young child growing up in the Brazilian countryside with his family. One day, his father leaves to work in the city, leading Cuca to set out for the metropolis, determined to reunite his family. The animation starts simply, but as Cuca ventures further into the world, the visual style takes on a greater complexity, eventually creating a neon-infused cityscape with a variety of strange characters never seen before. The seemingly simple story reveals a number of conflicts between country and city, poverty and wealth, the handmade and machinery in such a way that audiences of all ages will experience the same narrative on different levels. Abreu’s film is captivating, and will keep your attention rapt for its full running time with hardly a line of dialogue all the way to its surprising and emotional finale.

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