The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
Encyclopedia
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers is a children's
picture book
written and illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein
. Published in 2003, the book tells the true story of Philippe Petit
, a man who walked between the twin towers of the World Trade Center
on a tightrope. Gerstein won the 2004 Caldecott Medal
for his illustrations.
The book was adapted into an animated short film with the same name in 2005 for Weston Woods Studios
by Michael Sporn
. It was narrated by Jake Gyllenhaal
. The film received the Audience Choice Award for best short film at the 2005 Heartland Film Festival
, and the award for Best Short Animation Made for Children at the 2006 Ottawa International Animation Festival
. It is included as an extra on the DVD of the Oscar-winning documentary Man on Wire
.
The book was also adapted into a two-act ballet of the same name at Rowan University
. It was conceived, directed and choreographed by Paule Turner and premiered in December 2008 to exceptionally good reviews. While dancing was the primary medium, the production also made use of puppetry, especially during the wirewalking sequence.
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
picture book
Picture book
A picture book combines visual and verbal narratives in a book format, most often aimed at young children. The images in picture books use a range of media such as oil paints, acrylics, watercolor and pencil.Two of the earliest books with something like the format picture books still retain now...
written and illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein
Mordicai Gerstein
Mordicai Gerstein, born November 24, 1935 in Los Angeles, California is an American artist, writer, and film director, best known for illustrating and writing children's books....
. Published in 2003, the book tells the true story of Philippe Petit
Philippe Petit
Philippe Petit is a French high-wire artist who gained fame for his high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, New York, on 7 August 1974...
, a man who walked between the twin towers of the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
on a tightrope. Gerstein won the 2004 Caldecott Medal
Caldecott Medal
The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children , a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. The award was named in honor of nineteenth-century English...
for his illustrations.
The book was adapted into an animated short film with the same name in 2005 for Weston Woods Studios
Weston Woods Studios
Weston Woods Studios is a production company that makes audio and short films based on well-known books for children. It was founded in 1953 by Morton Schindel in Weston, Connecticut, and named after the wooded area near his home. The company's first project was Andy and the Lion in 1954, and its...
by Michael Sporn
Michael Sporn
Michael Sporn is an American animator who founded his New York-based company, Michael Sporn Animation in 1980, and has produced and directed numerous animated TV specials and short spots.-Career:...
. It was narrated by Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal
Jacob Benjamin "Jake" Gyllenhaal is an American actor. The son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, Gyllenhaal began acting at age ten...
. The film received the Audience Choice Award for best short film at the 2005 Heartland Film Festival
Heartland Film Festival
The Heartland Film Festival is a film festival held each October in Indianapolis, Indiana. First held in 1992, its goal is to "recognize and honor filmmakers whose work explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life."In May 2007, Heartland...
, and the award for Best Short Animation Made for Children at the 2006 Ottawa International Animation Festival
Ottawa International Animation Festival
-History:In 1976, the Canadian Film Institute founded the biennial Ottawa International Animation Festival . First held August 10 to 15, 1976, the OIAF created a gathering place for North American animation professionals and enthusiasts to ponder the craft and business of animation...
. It is included as an extra on the DVD of the Oscar-winning documentary Man on Wire
Man on Wire
Man on Wire is a 2008 British documentary film directed by James Marsh. The film chronicles Philippe Petit's 1974 high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Center. It is based on Philippe Petit's book, To Reach the Clouds, recently released in paperback with the new title...
.
The book was also adapted into a two-act ballet of the same name at Rowan University
Rowan University
Rowan University is a public university in Glassboro, New Jersey, USA with a satellite campus in Camden, New Jersey. The school was founded in 1923 as Glassboro Normal School on a twenty-five acre tract of land donated by the town...
. It was conceived, directed and choreographed by Paule Turner and premiered in December 2008 to exceptionally good reviews. While dancing was the primary medium, the production also made use of puppetry, especially during the wirewalking sequence.