NYICFF Movie Spotlight - Nahuel and the Magic Book

Image from New York International Children's Film Festival

Nahuel and the Magic Book was the Opening Spotlight at the New York International Children's Film Festival.  An animated story with lots of action and a bit of a dark side, Nahuel and the Magic Book takes viewers on a mystical journey. 

Nahuel and the Magic Book - Movie Review

Nahuel is a young boy who grows up in seaside town with a fisherman father.  He's been afraid of the sea which often makes him a target of teasing and bullying by those in the neighborhood - and even some tension between him and his father.  Nahuel finds a magical book, The Levisterio, and he thinks it can solve all of his problems - but it only makes his life more complicated.  Nahuel finds the courage to embark on a boating trip with his father, but soon discovers there are evil forces at play trying to recover The Levisterio.  The sorcerer, Kalku, attacks Nahuel and his father on the sea in an attempt to get the book back.  The two are separated and it's up to Nahuel to save his father (with the help of some new found friends) and do battle with Kalku.

Image from New York International Children's Film Festival

The animation in the film is spectacular.  Filmmakers use color to really set the tone of a dark, ominous feel.  Nahuel and the Magic Book is a Spanish language film with English subtitles, but I really didn't need to use the subtitles much to follow what was happening in the film.  Maybe it's my high school Spanish classes paying off, but I think the REAL reason is the use of artful storytelling that transcends borders, language, and cultures.  Watching Nahuel grow from a child who is sad and scared grow into a confident and brave hero is a powerful lesson for kids to see that our past doesn't define our future.

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About Nahuel and the Magic Book (From NYICFF)

Life in Nahuel's seaside town revolves around the ocean, which makes his fear of water a challenge. What's worse, he can't help his fisherman father on his boat. One day, Nahuel finds a magical book, the Levisterio, that seems to offer a solution to this problem. But a dark sorcerer is after the book and captures his father to set a trap. Guided by Fresia, a shaman's daughter, Nahuel sets out to rescue his father and find courage from within.