The film tells the poignant tale of two tiny creatures, an ant and a caterpillar. The lonely ant, who lost his entire tribe in a pesticide mishap, one day, meets a baby caterpillar. A relationship develops between them. The story moves forward through the memories of the ant, and the metamorphosis of the caterpillar. And then, the ant, once again, hears the sound of the pesticide sprayer. This movie is dedicated to those children who lost their lives in the endosulfan mishap of Kasargod district, Kerala.
'Pachilakkoodu -- My Home is Green', an animation film produced by Kottayam-based Digital Media and directed by Sajan Sindhu, has won the Golden Camera award for best animation film at the Nashik International film Festival 2012, which concluded on Sunday.
'Pachilakoodu,' dedicated to the children who lost their lives in the endosulfan tragedy in Kasaragod district, tells the poignant tale of two tiny creatures -- an ant and a caterpillar. The lonely ant which lost its entire tribe due to the pesticide mishap meets a baby caterpillar and a relationship develops between them. The story moves ahead through the memories of the ant and the metamorphosis of the caterpillar.
The film, the first directorial venture of Sajan, has won accolades at various festivals including IFFI Goa last November, All India Educational Audio Video Fest by NCERT at Delhi, International Documentary and Short Film Fest organised by Chalachitra Akademi, Vatavaran Festival organized by Ministry of Environment and Centre for Media Studies, New Delhi etc.
Children's appreciation
"However, the most exhilarating moments are when I receive accolades from students after my shows at schools," says Sajan. "Sometimes they all want to shake hands with me," he says.
Sajan, who has spent nearly five years with the tribespeople of Attapady working with a school for tribals, later involved himself with the struggle against endosulfan in Kasargod. He also shifted base to Kozhikode.
'Pachilakkoodu' was the creation of a team of nine friends who worked for more than one and a half years, day and night, from a rented house near the town, he said.
The team has now dispersed, but Sajan has moved on to his second venture. The preproduction works are going on for the film on the rare paddy seed Kayyeni which has almost become extinct, he said over telephone.
- Category
- Animation