The Oscar nominations aren’t announced for another three months, but the Best Animation category already appears to be something of a one horse race. Laika’s Wildwood, its first film in seven years, is capturing the hearts and minds of critics and moviegoers alike with its breath-taking vision.
We spoke exclusively to Peyton Elizabeth Lee and Jacob Tremblay, the voices of the film’s main characters, Prue and Curtis, together with Cinematographer, Caleb Deschanel, Composer Dario Marianelli (who played some of the score for us), Head Of Animation Brad Schiff, Production Designer Nelson Lowry, Costume Designer Deb Cook, Head Of Character and Practical Effects Oliver Jones, as well as Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis who wrote and illustrated the original book.
If there’s one word that summarises how they all feel about the film, it’s “magic”. From creating stop motion characters for the big screen so lifelike that the audience forgets they’re animated, to the way music can express the hidden, silent elements in the story, it’s a journey that’s taken five years of dedication from Laika’s team. Alongside the fantasy and action, it’s also a love letter to the studio’s home town, with Portland in Oregon playing its own, quirky role in the story.
Wildwood is released in UK cinemas on 23rd October. See our LFF Red Carpet Premiere Interviews here.
Plot
The stop motion epic follows headstrong teenager, Prue, as she ventures into a secret, magical realm to rescue her kidnapped baby brother. She, along with the nervous Curtis, ventures deeper into the forest where they find a kingdom populated by talking animals, mystics and outlaws, but which is also being torn apart by civil war. It makes finding Prue’s brother even tougher than they could ever have imagined, and they’re soon immersed in an intense battle to save the forest and its people. But for Prue, her priority is always to bring the baby home.
