In Timo Berg and Nina Wels’ animated feature Tafiti: Across the Desert, a meerkat and a pig embark on an adventure across the African desert. OK, it’s been done before, but a grand adventure—and a lesson—await.
Tafiti (Cosima Henman) is a young meerkat growing up in the Namibian desert with his grandfather and family. Because the desert’s conditions are harsh and the threat of predators is constant, Tafiti’s grandpa, Opapa/Grandpapa (Mark Rossman), drills this axiom into him: stick with our own kind. In other words, don’t trust anyone or anything outside your kind.
Almost immediately, Tafiti breaks the rule when he befriends an injured bush pig, Bristles (Steve Hudson), who is alone and looking for friendship. Just before Opapa can intervene, his grandmama (Dela Dabulamanzi) tends to Bristles’ wound. Bristles’ presence attracts a poisonous snake, which bites Opapa—thanks, Bristles. The only way to save Opapa is the legendary blue flower, which grows on the far end of the desert. With time running out, Tafiti and Bristles decide to get the flower before it’s too late.
Of course, the pair runs into adventure and danger. They are confronted by predators, including Eagle (Jeremiah Costello). Yet, as the journey wears on, Bristles shows himself to be quite a liability, and Tafiti grows increasingly frustrated with him.
A colorful still from Tafiti: Across the Desert showing Tafiti being carried by a large bird above a field of blue flowers as the desert landscape stretches behind them.
A meerkat and a bush pig? The similarities with The Lion King end here. Tafiti: Across the Desert is a solid children’s story for kids under ten. All the boxes are checked: cute animals, exotic location, and a moral at the end.
Our tale here is about breaking boundaries and customs and getting to know someone who doesn’t look like us. Tafiti shows the ability to adapt and improvise in the face of danger, but he needs the help of the unwanted Bristles to ultimately complete the task—a safe and uplifting message for kids.
The animation is quite good. There’s just enough detail for an independent animation studio to keep kids happy, without going so hyper-detailed that it becomes a visually distracting Disney-style animated feature. And lately, that’s not the requirement to make something work.
If you’re hunting for a fresh animated quest for the under-ten crowd, Tafiti: Across the Desert delivers a simple, sweet ride with Tafiti and Bristles proving that the best adventures come with an unexpected (yet familiar) partner.
For more information, visit the Tafiti: Across the Desert official website.
"…...a grand adventure and lesson await."
