Tony, Shelly and The Magic Light
Meet 11-year-old Tony, who literally glows. But when the friendless and unsocialized boy meets young Shelly, his new neighbor at a tower block, he learns that he possesses a special kind of magic that can defeat the darkness. Ages 8+, in Czech
Can't get enough of stop-motion magic? Come to the May 10 screening for a chance to win a pair of tickets to MoPOP and their ongoing exhibit, Hidden Worlds: The Films of LAIKA.
Come early to the May 19 screening to meet young local filmmakers from the Girl Scouts of Western Washington, who will be playing a collection of their stop-motion short films in the lobby before the movie!
Tony is at odds with his parents. They just want to keep him safe at home forever and Tony wants to live a little. There’s just one hang up: underneath his protective masks and gloves, Tony literally glows. Maybe his parents have a point. When a new girl, Shelley, moves into Tony's building, he sees his opportunity to make a friend. But then a dark spirit emerges, threatening both Tony’s chance at friendship and his safety. Filip Pošivač’s feature debut is entirely handmade and is influenced by the art of puppetry for which the Czech Republic is known. It combines an allegory for disability with deep themes of acceptance and overcoming negative emotions to create a moving story for kids and adults alike. The surreal visuals and haunting atmosphere are reminiscent of Coraline and makes it a must-see for fans of the stop-motion animation studio LAIKA.
—Mackenzie Wardlow
- Original Language Title: Tonda, Slávka a kouzelné světlo
- Director: Filip Pošivač
- Principal Cast: Michael Polák, Antonie Baresová
- Country: Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia
- Year: 2023
- Running Time: 82 min.
- Producer: Pavla Janoušková Kubečková, Jakub Viktorín
- Screenplay: Jana Šrámková
- Cinematographers: Denisa Buranová
- Editors: Marek Kráľovský
- Music: Ádám Balázs
- Website: Official Film Website
- Awards: Annecy Film Festival 2023 (Contrechamp Jury Award), Giffoni Film Festival 2023 (Clear Channel Special Award), Schlingel International Film Festival 2023 (Best Animated Feature Award)
- Filmography: Debut Feature Film
- Language: Czech
- Has Subtitles: Yes
- International Sales: LevelK