19/07/2024 - Filip Pošivač's stop-motion feature debut draws the viewer into a vibrant world of possibilities, using a warm visual style to explore acceptance and childhood creativity

A richly textured stop-motion film, Tony, Shelly and the Magic Light [+see also:
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Tony, an 11-year-old boy, has a special gift - his skin glows. Made to feel ashamed of his appearance by his parents, he often wears gloves and a mask, resembling an animal like a duck or panda. He even has to be attached to a rope when he roams around their apartment block, his parents tethering him to their insecurities. While his mum and dad seem happy to focus their energy on caring for their newborn twins, the trail of scattered toys on the floor tells a different story - one of parental exhaustion. Feeling left out, Tony is lonely at Christmas and longs for a friend.

The moment Shelly, a lively girl, moves into the dark apartment building with her mother, Tony's desire to overcome his restrictions intensifies, especially as he discovers she possesses a magic flashlight that brings her imagination to life. The radiance of Shelly's inventions, crafted in a hand-drawn style, surprises the audience even as it blends harmoniously with the puppetry. These wondrous projections of flowers and animals are reserved for Tony and the viewer’s eyes, the other tenants remaining oblivious. Shelly is equally astounded by Tony’s glow once he removes his mask. Confined within the murky apartment block, they go on an enchanted journey, closely followed by flickering dark specks that hint at an ominous presence.

Shelly adorns her surroundings with vivid blooming imagery, her rambunctious nature drawing tenants out of their forlorn apartments. In a crowd of residents with elongated or puffy faces, Ms. Tubby stands out. Dressed in tacky purple, the loudmouthed neighbour vies for the caretaker role, promising to renovate the rundown building. The current caretaker is a mysterious old man with flowers sprouting from his shoulders. As we increasingly grow to like him, the measured camera peeks through the window of his greenhouse to reveal what creates the dark wisps.

The introduction of The Spirit, a black, caterpillar-like furry creature that feeds on light, kicks the action into high gear. Growing bigger in response to the tenants’ bickering, the protagonists must face it alone. Empowered by Shelly's daring nature, Tony tests the physical limits of the rope he is tied to, now wearing clawed mittens to showcase his newfound courage. The music, created by veteran composer Ádám Balázs, plays a key role in these scenes. As the Christmas bells disappear, the score snowballs quickly, becoming an orchestral arrangement that reverberates with the intensity of the black cloud that also threatens to take Tony’s glow away. Meanwhile, more darkness can be found in Shelly’s own apartment, as she fights her mother’s melancholy that takes a toll on their bond.

Inspired by his 2011 short film, Pošivač tackles his feature debut with commendable dedication. His vision is guided by a desire to immerse the viewer in a vibrant world at the border of childlike optimism and sombre adulthood. Through a combination of puppetry and digital animation, the universe’s tactile quality emerges, adding a layer of warmth to an already sweet story. In step with Shelly's creativity, the Czech director and his crew embark on a journey that charms audiences of all ages and showcases the possibility of untethered animation.

Tony, Shelly and the Magic Light was produced by Czech outfit nutprodukce and Slovakia’s nutprodukcia, and co-produced by Czech Television, Radio and Television Slovakia, Kouzelná animace and Hungary’s Filmfabriq. LevelK handles the international sales.