Alma (film)
Encyclopedia
Alma is a 2009 short film produced by ex-Pixar animator Rodrigo Blaas. It was received notable recognition at the Fantastic Fest awards.
A young girl is walking down a snow-covered street of Barcelona. She stumbles across a wall with names written in chalk on it. She adds her name, Alma, to the wall.
Opposite the wall is what appears to be a closed toy shop. The doll in the window looks like Alma, and she is fascinated by it. She looks away briefly, and when she looks back the doll has moved from the window to a table in the center of the shop. She finds the door is locked, and angrily leaves, but hears the door open as she walks away. She excitedly walks in and the door closes slightly; there is no one else in the store.
Alma stumbles upon a small boy doll riding a tricycle which has fallen over. She pick it up and places it on the floor upright, and it heads towards the door, but the door closes on its own. While the little boy continues to slam against the door, Alma sees that the doll has somehow moved up to the shelves. She climbs up the shelf and reaches for the doll's face. In an instant the doll's eyes move, and a quick flash of images, and suddenly the lens is through the glass eyes of a doll, sitting on a shelf in the shop. As the camera pans away, we see that Alma has become the doll and is looking around the store like all the other dolls, trapped and unable to move.
As the camera pans out, another doll appears in the window suggesting the appearance of the next victim.
is developing an animated feature film based on Alma. Short's director Rodrigo Blaas is again set to direct the feature, with Guillermo del Toro
producing it. In November 2011, it was reported, that the studio has hired Megan Holley, a writer of Sunshine Cleaning
, to write a script.
Plot
The film has no spoken dialogue, just lighthearted music playing throughout the background.A young girl is walking down a snow-covered street of Barcelona. She stumbles across a wall with names written in chalk on it. She adds her name, Alma, to the wall.
Opposite the wall is what appears to be a closed toy shop. The doll in the window looks like Alma, and she is fascinated by it. She looks away briefly, and when she looks back the doll has moved from the window to a table in the center of the shop. She finds the door is locked, and angrily leaves, but hears the door open as she walks away. She excitedly walks in and the door closes slightly; there is no one else in the store.
Alma stumbles upon a small boy doll riding a tricycle which has fallen over. She pick it up and places it on the floor upright, and it heads towards the door, but the door closes on its own. While the little boy continues to slam against the door, Alma sees that the doll has somehow moved up to the shelves. She climbs up the shelf and reaches for the doll's face. In an instant the doll's eyes move, and a quick flash of images, and suddenly the lens is through the glass eyes of a doll, sitting on a shelf in the shop. As the camera pans away, we see that Alma has become the doll and is looking around the store like all the other dolls, trapped and unable to move.
As the camera pans out, another doll appears in the window suggesting the appearance of the next victim.
Adaptations
In October 2010, it was announced that DreamWorks AnimationDreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films, television program and online virtual worlds...
is developing an animated feature film based on Alma. Short's director Rodrigo Blaas is again set to direct the feature, with Guillermo del Toro
Guillermo del Toro
Guillermo del Toro is a Mexican director, producer, screenwriter, novelist and designer. He is mostly known for his acclaimed films, Blade II, Pan's Labyrinth and the Hellboy film franchise. He is a frequent collaborator with Ron Perlman, Federico Luppi and Doug Jones...
producing it. In November 2011, it was reported, that the studio has hired Megan Holley, a writer of Sunshine Cleaning
Sunshine Cleaning
Sunshine Cleaning is a 2008 comedy-drama film starring Amy Adams and Emily Blunt. Directed by Christine Jeffs and written by Megan Holley, the film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2008. It was purchased by Overture Films for distribution and opened in limited release in...
, to write a script.