{"id":40071,"date":"2024-09-17T13:29:18","date_gmt":"2024-09-17T17:29:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=40071"},"modified":"2024-09-17T14:18:27","modified_gmt":"2024-09-17T18:18:27","slug":"the-wild-robot-director-talks-bringing-beloved-childrens-book-to-big-screen-with-emotional-depth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2024\/09\/the-wild-robot-director-talks-bringing-beloved-childrens-book-to-big-screen-with-emotional-depth.html","title":{"rendered":"‘The Wild Robot’ director talks bringing beloved children’s book to big screen with emotional depth"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dreamworks Animation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When it comes to making children\u2019s films, director Chris Sanders doesn\u2019t believe in relying on cheap gags or inappropriate humor; he\u2019d rather weave deeply human themes into a visually captivating story to draw audiences.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m not good at gags,\u201d the 62-year-old filmmaker told The Christian Post. \u201cWhenever somebody invites me to a gag session to work on another film, I never have much to do. I never come up with anything. I think the kind of humor that I do just comes out of situations and you find it along the way. It\u2019s just my style.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was this thoughtful approach to filmmaking that made Sanders, the director behind \u201cLilo and Stitch,\u201d the perfect person to bring Peter Brown\u2019s beloved children\u2019s book\u00a0The Wild Robot<\/a><\/em>to the big screen.<\/p>\n

Hitting theaters on Sept. 27 and featuring the voices of Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor and Bill Nighy, the DreamWorks Animation\u00a0film<\/a>\u00a0tells the story of Roz, a robot who is shipwrecked on a remote, wild island. Though programmed only with basic functions and lacking the emotional or survival instincts needed to thrive, Roz unexpectedly becomes the caretaker of a gosling named Brightbill after its family is killed.<\/p>\n

As a first-time \u201cparent,\u201d Roz faces the challenges of raising a child without any programming or knowledge of how to do so. However, she eventually develops emotional depth, forms meaningful relationships with the island\u2019s inhabitants, and learns what it means to nurture, protect and ultimately let go.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoz, who is a first-time parent, quite by accident and unexpectedly so, says, \u2018I don\u2019t have the programming,\u2019\u201d Sanders told CP. \u201cShe literally tries to walk away, like, \u2018Nope, I can\u2019t do it.\u2019 It\u2019s such a relatable moment, especially for parents who often feel like they\u2019re figuring it out as they go.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first installment in the \u201cRobot\u201d trilogy, Brown\u2019s book explores themes of survival, adaptation, community and the unexpected joys and hardships of parenting. A New York Times bestseller, it also delves into the idea that kindness and empathy, even in a machine, are essential to surviving and thriving in a challenging world, all themes Sanders wanted to highlight in the film adaptation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my very first conversation with Peter, he said something that became very important to me: \u2018Kindness can be a survival skill,\u2019\u201d Sanders recounted. \u201cThat became a big theme in the story, and it\u2019s one of the things that I think makes this film so meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n

The notion of \u201cexceeding your programming\u201d also plays a central role in the film. Roz, who begins her journey as a robot programmed for efficiency, gradually learns that the key to surviving \u2014 and thriving \u2014 is improvisation.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoz says she doesn\u2019t have the programming to parent,\u201d Sanders explained, \u201cbut she tries and improvises. It\u2019s such a beautiful idea because it\u2019s true for all of us. You\u2019ll face unexpected challenges, and sometimes you have to figure it out on the fly.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Sanders, the emotional depth of Roz\u2019s journey from reluctant guardian to devoted mother offers an arc that speaks to both adults and children.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoz devotes herself to this task without realizing that if she does a really good job, it\u2019s going to end in heartbreak,\u201d Sanders said, comparing it to the fleeting joy of building a snowman. \u201cIf you do a good job, eventually it melts. That\u2019s real life. There\u2019s a moment in the movie where Brightbill, Roz\u2019s gosling, has to succeed at migrating. Roz\u2019s success as a parent means letting go, and it\u2019s both beautiful and hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sanders also highlighted the humor woven through the story, particularly in the character of the possum Pinktail, voiced by Catherine O\u2019Hara.<\/p>\n

\u201cPinktail has possums, three litters a year, so she\u2019s over the whole newness of parenting. She\u2019s pragmatic and unsentimental, which makes for some really funny moments,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

This dynamic between Roz\u2019s tentative steps into parenthood and Pinktail\u2019s seasoned indifference offers a range of perspectives that parents, no matter their stage in the journey, will find deeply relatable, he said.<\/p>\n

The score for “The Wild Robot” is composed by Chris Bowers, who also created the music for “Green Book,” “King Richard,” “The Color Purple” and others. For Sanders, Bowers\u2019 understanding of the story was pivotal.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe just got it,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cOne of my favorite moments in the score is during the migration scene. There\u2019s this unresolved tension because Brightbill has learned a lot, but there isn\u2019t time to address everything before he leaves the island. It\u2019s one of my favorite parts of the film because it feels so true to life.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked why\u00a0The Wild Robot<\/em>\u00a0continues to captivate readers of all ages, Sanders pointed to its balance of joy and sorrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeter Brown didn\u2019t shy away from hard things. There are moments of triumph and heartbreak, and we\u2019re all drawn to that. You don\u2019t want to sugarcoat life because it\u2019s both joyful and hard. Those are the stories that endure,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Like the book, Sanders said he hopes the \u201cThe Wild Robot\u201d film will foster a deeper understanding between parents and children. \u201cI hope it opens hearts and makes people more emotionally available,\u201d he said. \u201cMaybe it even makes some things safe to talk about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Wild Robot\u201d is rated PG for action\/peril and thematic elements and hits theaters on Sept. 27.<\/p>\n

\n

This article originally appeared on The Christian Post<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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