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| Poster artwork for the animated family comedy film Snowflake, The White Gorilla (Copito de nieve). |
Adventurous
Albino by Linh
Snowflake the white gorilla, who died from skin cancer in
2003, was reportedly the world’s only albino gorilla. In 1966, a baby male
albino gorilla was found clutching to his mother’s neck after she was shot dead
by farmer Benito Mañé in Equatorial Guinea. An ape specialist named Jordi
Sabarter Pi saw the white baby gorilla and bought it from Mañé, to live at the
Barcelona Zoo. However, very little was known about white gorillas, so the baby
gorilla was sent to live with a surrogate human family, to study how it
interacts and socialises. The baby gorilla was given the name Snowflake after
international media began coverage of his first appearance at the Barcelona
Zoo.
Photograph of the real Snowflake taken before his death
in 2003 at the Barcelona Zoo. Image: Bret Arnett.
Snowflake,
The White Gorilla is a Spanish hybrid live action and animated
family comedy inspired by the true story of the world’s only albino gorilla. The
film opens in 1966, with the murder of Snowflake’s mother and other black gorillas
in a forest of Equatorial Guinea, then swiftly moves to him being placed in the
care of ten year old Paula (Claudia Abate) and her parents for five months.
During this time, Paula teaches Snowflake to read, use sign language and to
play football (as in soccer and not Australian Rules/Rugby). Snowflake (voiced
by Benjamin Nathan Serio) develops a love of yoghurt and Paula packs some into
his satchel when he leaves them to live at the Barcelona Zoo.
Snowflake is an instant hit with the visitors/touristsarrives at
the Zoo, but he is not at all
popular with the alpha male black gorilla named Ron (voiced by Constantino
Romero). Ron dislikes Snowflake’s whiteness and he threatens Snowflake, warning
him to stay away from his daughter Ndengue and son Kiddo. However, Ndengue
becomes Snowflake’s best friend and he also befriends a philosophical red panda
named Ailur (Carlos Latre) with Buddhist beliefs. Ailur believes he has the
soul of a black panther born into the body of a red panda and he meditates a
few times during the day. When Snowflake discovers the Northern Witch (Elsa
Pataky) is in town for one day only, he enlists the help of Ailur to visit her
so she can turn him into a black gorilla and Ailur into a black panther.
Meanwhile, a cruel and jinxed man named Luc De Sac (Pere Ponce) is plotting to
kill Snowflake for his heart, to cure him of his life-long bad luck. When Paula
realises Snowflake has escaped the Zoo and about Luc De Sac’s plans, she and
her friend Leo (Joan Sulla) try to stop him.
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MAGICAL
MISSION: Snowflake (Benjamin Nathan Serio) and Ailur (Carlos
Latre) are seeking the magic witch to transform them in the film Snowflake, The White Gorilla (Copito de nieve). Image:
Filmax International.
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The mix of live action and computer generated imagery,
along with some animatronics makes this film a visual treat for audiences of
all ages. Aspects of the true story of Snowflake have been altered for entertainment
and creative purposes, yet it still is a beautifully told narrative about
friendship, acceptance and being/looking different. Snowflake, The White Gorilla is a wonderful tribute to the real
Snowflake who brought much joy to everyone who has visited Barcelona Zoo during
his lifetime.
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JUST
JINXED: Luc De Sac (Pere Ponce) plots to capture and kill
Snowflake in the film Snowflake, The
White Gorilla (Copito de nieve). Image: Filmax International.
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Director: Andrés
G. Schaer
Writers:
Amelia Mora, Albert Val
Cast: Claudia
Abate, Joan Sulla, Pere Ponce, Elsa Pataky, Rosa Boladeras, Felix Pons Ferrer,
Mercé Comes, Elsa Anka, Anna Gras, Pau Vinyals, Pablo Vazquez, Benjamin Nathan
Serio (voice), Constantino Romero (voice), Carlos Latre (voice)
Producers:
Julio Fernández, Gemma Larrègola , Jordi Roigé, Maria Sabucedo, Carlos
Fernández, Alberto Marini, Alberto Neira
Original
Music Composer: Zacarias M. De la Riva
Cinematographer:
Sergi Bartroli
Film
Editor: Alex de Molina
Production
Designer: Silvia Steinbrecht
Costume
Designer: Mario Engo
Language:
Spanish with English subtitles
Running
Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes.
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