Private Project

The Boy Who Swallowed the Sun

The Boy Who Swallowed the Sun is a tv serie (13 x 7'), free adaptation of the universe of the brazilian poet Manoel de Barros, the Guató ethnicity myth of fire, and the homonymous children’s book “The Boy Who Swallowed the Sun” by Ricardo Pieretti Câmara.
When the day dawns the Boy and the animals go out to play in the garden, where there is a River of Snakes, Trees of Birds, and Fish-Dog. The garden is bigger than the world. It is the PANTANAL. When the day sleeps, the Boy is so afraid of the dark that he does not want to sleep, nor eat – and his stomach is full of fear. Donanna, his grandmother, believes that the Boy has an eating disorder and says that people are what they eat. To overcome his fear, the Boy decides to eat a little of the Sun and illuminate the dark corners of the World.

Episode – Day 8 Manoel was a little Boy, a little Bird. When the day awoke, he jumped straight from the nest direct to the Garden, the PANTANAL. And each day, what he most liked was to fly outside the wing and shorten the River of Snakes. On the eight day, after experiencing and listening to nature, the idea understood the Boy. When the Morning set the still cold Sun, Boy, slugs, stones, birds, and toads made poetry and some spoke with the others. In the sky the Boy saw fish and birds, root of blue, and the Sun – cold – illuminated at the end of the day. That night he decided that he could eat the SUN and illuminate the dark corners of the World.

  • Patricia Alves Dias
    Director
  • Patricia Alves Dias
    Writer
  • Ricardo Pieretti Câmara
    Writer
  • Joel Pizzini
    Producer
  • Ney Matogrosso
    Key Cast
    "Actor (portuguese version) and singer "
  • Tandy Beal
    Key Cast
    "Actress invited to english version"
  • Elizah Rodrigues
    Key Cast
    "Actress invited to spanish version"
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Television
  • Runtime:
    7 minutes 55 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 18, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    13,538 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Brazil
  • Country of Filming:
    Brazil
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    XDCAM 1920 x 1080
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Festival Prix Jeunesse Iberoamericano
    São Paulo
    Brazil
    August 16, 2019
    Brazilian Premier
    indicated
  • 17 Festival Internacional de Cinema Infantil
    São Paulo; Rio de Janeiro; Natal e Aracaju
    Brazil
    October 18, 2019
    Selection
  • 28 DIVERCINE - Festival Internacional de Cine para Niños y Jóvenes de Uruguay, Edición 2019
    Montevideu
    Uruguay
    July 26, 2019
    International Premiere
    selection
Distribution Information
  • EBC - Empresa Brasileira de Comunicação e POLOFILME
Director Biography - Patricia Alves Dias

Producer and researcher of documentary and animation content to childhood and right human. Developer of project for/by/together child and youth people to cross media.

She was coordinator and funder of Animation Studios MULTIRIO (2001-2010). Developer and producer JURO QUE VI / SWEAR I SAW IT, films about the brazilians histories of the popular culture awarded at Japan Prize (Special President's Prize), ANIMAMUNDI, UNICEF (ibero-americano de Comunicación de los Derechos de la Niñez y la Adolescencia), Nueva Mirada and Prix Jeunesse Latin America. Made ANIMATION CHART PEACE - CARTA ANIMADA PELA PAZ -, a project with children, in risk situation, making animation films. The animation and the documentary of project are part of manifest that denounces violence suffered by children be it social, political or within the family. Prized by UNESCO like THE BEST PRACTICAL OF MEDIA IN SCHOOL IN AMERICA LATINA, The best film by Children in Ottawa animation Festival and Special Mention by UNICEF in Barcelona Int. Television Festival, OETI.

Admitted to PhD in childhood studies and society at the University of Minho (2020-2023). Master on education in the area of young, children and contemporaneity culture (UERJ 2014) and formed at Journalism (UFRJ, 1992). Specialized in animation by NFBC (1985 - 1988). She was fellow in Jiry Trnka Studios Animation Film, in Tchec Republic, supported by brazilian government (1995).

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