Nahuel and the Magic Book

NB: The film is in spoken Spanish with English subtitles.

Nahuel lives with his dad, a fisherman, in a small fishing village. Nahuel happens to be terrified of the water, which is a real challenge for the young boy. One day he finds a magic book, which appears to hold the solution to all of his problems; but it turns out there’s also another, darker kind of magic inherent in the book. When his dad gets into trouble, Nahuel has to go on a dangerous journey and face his biggest fears in order to save him.

This Chilean-Brazilian animated feature is inspired by local folklore relating to the Chiloé archipelago off the southern Chilean coast, and revitalises several elements of the popular mythology from the area. Visually, it hints at influences from Studio Ghibli to Tintin, while Harry Potter fans will nod in recognition at some of the film’s magical elements.

This film is best suited for children between the ages of 6–10 who can read English subtitles or understand spoken Spanish, and for adults in search of an adventure.

Helene Aalborg

Director

Nahuel and the Magic Book is German Acuña`s directorial debut, and was nominated for Best Picture at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival and Tokyo Anime Award Festival. In 2007, he started the production company Chile's Carburadores, which is Chile's first Oscar-nominated animation company.