The Legend of the Sky Kingdom

Infobox Film
name = The Legend of the Sky Kingdom


caption = DVD cover
director = Roger Hawkins
producer = Phil Cunningham Jacqui Cunningham
writer = Phil Cunningham
narrator =
starring = Jason Linforth Miriam Hamblin Gabriel Phillips Wina Msamati Rodney Newman
music = Andrew Baird
cinematography =
editing =
distributor =
released = October 2003 (South Africa)
runtime = 73 min
country = Zimbabwe
language = English
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
mpaa_rating =
tv_rating =
imdb_id = 0430293

"The Legend of the Sky Kingdom" is a 2003 animated feature film from Zimbabwe - that country's and Africa's first. It was based on a children's book of the same name by Phil Cunningham, who was also the film's producer. It premiered at the Durban International Film Festival in October, 2003. [http://www.southafrica.info/what_happening/arts_entertainment/junkmation.htm]

Plot

Three orphans escape from the Underground City ruled by the Evil Emperor and search for the Sky Kingdom while facing many challenges along the way.

Technique

The film was animated using stop motion animation. The puppets and all of the sets were built from pieces of junk that the filmmakers found - a necessity of the low budget as well as an artistic choice inspired by Africa's folk artists, who often turn things that others have thrown away into works of art. The filmmakers call this animation style "junkmation".

The filmmakers also spent two years custom-building a motion camera out of bicycle parts because they did not have the money to buy a professional one from the West.

ee also

*List of animated feature films
*List of stop-motion films

External links

* [http://www.thelegendoftheskykingdom.com/ Official website] (pop-up blocker must be turned off)
*imdb title|id=0430293
* [http://www.southafrica.info/what_happening/arts_entertainment/junkmation.htm News article]
* [http://www.sunrise.co.za/ DVD at Sunrise Media]