Greek computer-animated Christmas TV Special directed by Panagiotis Rappas, based on Eugene Trivizas’ acclaimed fairytale.
The tale unfolds one Christmas night, when on a somber city pavement, a poor boy meets a neglected tree. The tree has seen from the windows of houses other decorated trees; jealous, it asks the boy to decorate it so it will look as beautiful. But, can a penniless street urchin grant its ardent, yet impossible wish? Perhaps, with a little bit of faith, anything is possible.
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IMDb rating: 8,0/10
Original Title: Ένα Δέντρο Μια Φορά
Cast:
Dionysis Savvopoulos
Danae Skiadi
Maria Nafpliotou
Movie Trivia:
1. Beloved Greek singer and songwriter Dionysis Savvopoulos plays the role of the Tree, in one of his few works as an actor. All the other roles in the film are portrayed by famous Greek actors.
2. The high quality animation of this little film is no mystery. Panagiotis Rappas, the film’s director and artistic supervisor, has a long and notable carrer on the field. He has work worked with all the major Hollywood film studios and for many European co-productions of 2D and 3D animated films. His has worked in films like the Steven Spielberg produced “We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story”, 2003’s “El Cid: The Legend” and 1996’s “All Dogs Go to Heaven 2”. He is a lifetime member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).
3. Eugene Trivizas (Greek: Ευγένιος Τριβιζάς), is a professor of Criminology at the University of Reading and famous writer of children’s books. His works have often been adapted for the small screen by the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT). “The Boy and the Tree” was it’s second collaboration with Panagiotis Rappas, following the success of 2007’s “The Little Mouse who Wanted to Touch a Star” – the first ever 3D animation film that was produced in Greece.
4. The film was voted as the best animated film for television by EBU (European Broadcasting Union) and Second Best TV Production in Europe for Children and Juniors 2009.
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