In his short film La Calesita, Argentinian animator Augusto Schillaci pays tribute to the carousel operators who dedicated their lives to making children happy and bringing smiles to their faces.
A carousel and its faithful operator are in a tiny park in the center of a small town. Every day, the calesita (merry-go-round) brings fun and happiness to the children. However, as the city grows, there’s no place for a carousel at the feet of the future high-rise buildings. Soon, the operator is fired, and the carousel is dismantled.
“…memories of the old calesita flood the operator’s mind when he encounters the children whom he brought joy to…”
Years later, the now elderly operator spends his day feeding the birds along the city sidewalks, alone and forgotten. Soon memories of the old calesita flood the operator’s mind when he encounters the children whom he brought joy to long ago. But, of course, they are now adults with children of their own; children with nowhere to go for fun in the city.
La Calesita is a beautiful and heartwarming CG-animated tale from Augusto Schillaci. His style and character design remind me of the old claymation of Will Vinton and Nick Park. The animation and narrative itself could rival Disney and Dreamworks.
The story of La Calesita takes a nostalgic look at the simple things that brought happiness to children and how the sterile urban city can suck the joys of youth. It’s well-animated and heartfelt.
For screening information, visit La Calesita’s Instagram page.
"…a nostalgic look at the simple things that brought happiness to children..."
