Director Marcin Wasilewski, whose animated series “Barbora” has already become a favorite among young viewers, created the film “The Prophecy of the Shrew Forest” based on the comic “Ryjówka przeznaczenia” (“The Shrew of Destiny”) by the famous Polish biologist and author Tomasz Samojlik. The film tells the story of a shrew named Gudi living in an ancient forest, who is tasked with saving the forest from an impending disaster; Gudi lacks impressive muscle strength or stunning wisdom but has a talent for getting into extraordinarily funny situations.
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As noted by Agnė Adomėnė, the producer of “The Prophecy of the Shrew Forest” in Lithuania, head and founder of the animation production company “Art shot,” a Lithuanian feature-length animated film for children is a real rarity: “Now we have a lot of animation from Hollywood and all over Europe, so it is a luxury to have a film whose action is inspired by the nearby Białowieża Forest in Poland. The same ancient forest thrives in Lithuania, and the same little shrews run through our meadows and forests. Here we face the same problems – nature conservation, forest pollution, irresponsible behavior in the woods.”
The film, aimed at children aged 4–10 and their families, not only invites viewers to immerse themselves in the world of the forest, introduces shrews still little known in Lithuania, but also reminds us of the strong power of friendship and that even the smallest can become true heroes.
“I believe this film can also inspire courage. After all, shrews, some of Lithuania’s smallest mammals, become the forest’s saviors. Friendship, courage, self-confidence, cooperation – the film contains many beautiful values. And not to mention the shrews themselves – how interesting they are! They only came into my life with this film, so I think it is a great opportunity to introduce everyone, especially children, to these forest inhabitants – voracious, tiny, predatory, and incredibly fast shrews,” shares A. Adomėnė.
In Lithuania, the film’s environment and atmosphere were created by a team of artists led by the film’s art director Gediminas Skyrius. The production work took five years, during which more than 800 background drawings were created. Background artists Julija Račiūnaitė and Ieva Batrytė also contributed to the creation of the world of “The Prophecy of the Shrew Forest.”
The world premiere of “The Prophecy of the Shrew Forest” will take place at the 51st Gdynia Film Festival. The film has been selected for the competition program for children and youth, where it will compete with four other films for the Janusz Korczak “Golden Lion Cub” award.
The film “The Prophecy of the Shrew Forest” will reach Lithuanian cinemas on October 16. The film’s creation was supported by the Lithuanian Film Centre, with informational partners “15min” and “Žmonės,” educational partner the Lithuanian Zoo, and partner “Mamos žurnalas.” Value partners include the Lithuanian Fund for Nature, the State Forest Enterprise, and the State Forest Service.
