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An Eco-Warrior Like No Other Jose Zelada and Richard Claus offer a sneak peek of Ainbo: Spirit of the Amazon, their exciting and ecologically minded film set in the Amazon.
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osé Zelada, the Peruvian writer, producer and co-director of the upcoming animated feature Ainbo: Spirit of the Amazon grew up in the Amazonian region. He always wanted to make a film that reflected the stories his mother had told him when he was a boy, as well as the current reality of the region’s endangered rainforest. “Ainbo has an important connection to the Amazon through our roots,” says the Peruvian filmmaker “The beliefs, the way of seeing life, the point of view of people who live in the Amazon are so unique and different. Our universe is created through the coexistence with nature. The talking animals, magical landscapes are from stories told in the Amazon over thousands of years. All these elements help set this film apart from other animated features.” The movie, which will be presented at this month’s virtual American Film Market, follows the adventures of the titular young girl, who must battle a spirit that embodies the evil of www.animationmagazine.net
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‘Ainbo gives us the opportunity to show the Amazon in a more honest, authentic and faithful way — from an indigenous viewpoint. I think that being imagined and designed by the ‘sons of the Amazon,’ it has that unique touch that will make an impact on audiences.’ — Writer, producer and co-director José Zelada
man and threatens her Amazon paradise. Zelada and his co-director Richard Claus decided to make Ainbo an animated feature because they wanted not only to tell a great cinematic story but also send a message about the environment to future generations. The project was a multi-continental collaboration. Zelada led a team of Peruvian artists to develop the visuals of the film, including characters, landscapes and the look and feel of this special world. Later on, the film was animated in the Netherlands, led by Claus, whose credits include The Little Vampire 2D (2017) and An American Werewolf in Paris (1997). “I heard about the project from the film’s
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Amazon Delivery: Director Jose Zelada (left) and production designer Pierre Salazar await the coming release of their movie. december20
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