Five Questions With... Directors Pulkit Datta, Liam Harris, and Peter Stanley-Ward, Directors of KIDS SHORTS

We have a screening for the whole family! A selection of both animated and live action films are in our KIDS SHORTS program - we spoke with directors Pulkit Datta (WISHFUL WHISKERS), Liam Harris (PERCHED), and Peter Stanley-Ward (LITTERBUGS) about their films. Read more below, and join us at the Dreamland 9:45am on Saturday, 6/24!

NFF (To all): Your film is in the "Kids Shorts" block - did you set out to make a kid-friendly film?

Pulkit: I didn’t really plan on making a children’s film. It organically turned out that way. When the idea for the story first came to me, I just wrote the script out of a burst of inspiration. But I think because the story was always from the perspective of a little girl, and there’s so much innocence and wonder in her world, it became labeled as a children’s film by people who were reading the script to give me feedback, and how it was evolving. It’s always surprising and exciting when a script starts taking its own path, so then I just embraced it as a kid-friendly film. And I’m so glad I did, because so far it’s been a hit with all the kids we’ve shown it to.

Liam: We didn’t specifically go out with the idea to make the film for a specific aged range, we intended right from the start that this would be a film for all ages. Having grown up with animated family adventures, I wanted to follow suit and give the audience the opportunity of experiencing the film with each another, no matter where you are from or how old you are.

Peter: We did and we also wanted the whole family to enjoy it. We wanted to make a live-action film with an all kid cast. This is something that was common when we were growing up but isn’t so much these days. There are lots of animations for kids now, which we love as well, but wanted to make a film with real kids in for this generation.

NFF (To Pulkit): Can you talk a little about your inspiration?

Pulkit: WISHFUL WHISKERS is a story that's close to my heart. It was inspired by the time I've spent playing with my nephew and niece. I loved experiencing their limitless imagination - they can conjure up entire worlds around them, using the most mundane objects and furniture. That, to me, was incredibly fascinating and fun. So a big part of the inspiration to write the script was from playing games and make-believe with them. 

The whole mustache angle came in because it’s such a strong and identifiable symbol, and has been over time, around the world. Mustaches signify so many things in different places. It’s a universal thing. And it’s so intertwined with gender identity. Everyone likes to have fun by pretending to have a mustache, even women. So I thought, what if in the world of the film, the little girl actually wants a mustache? It’s a way to play with gender boundaries within the context of a children’s film. And it’s fun! 

NFF (To Liam): Which shows or animators influenced you most?

Liam: I would say one of my most influential animators would be Richard Williams (Who Framed Roger Rabbit). He is one of the original pioneers of 2D animation and at the ripe old age of 84 he still animates on paper today, which is extraordinary! Not only that he has since taken on the role of tutor to thousands of up and coming animators, which is truly inspiring. His recent film ‘Prologue’ was nominated for a BAFTA and an Oscar which like I said at his age is really unbelievable, I can’t say enough how much belief that gives a young animation filmmaker like myself. I hope to still be as enthusiastic and devoted about animating when I reach his age!

NFF (To Peter): The production design is so wonderfully specific. Did you have the world in mind when you were originally conceiving the shoot?

Peter: Thank you and yes, we did have a very clear idea of what we wanted this world to look and feel like. This began with lots of preparation and included mood boards that evoked the tone and palette we wanted, and a location scout to make sure we found the right place. Marie Lana was our production designer on Litterbugs and she understood this world totally. The sets she built for us were amazing and it took our breath away every time we walked onset. We also wanted a rusty metal vibe throughout the whole movie, so very deliberately, virtually every frame has some sort of rusty metal in it.

NFF (To all): Why are you excited to show the film in Nantucket, and/or what do you hope Nantucket families will take away?

Pulkit: I’ve heard great things about Nantucket Film Festival, so I was excited when WISHFUL WHISKERS was selected for the festival. I’m always fascinated by how kids react to this film because they’re always very honest. And so far, kids (and adults) have been picking up on different themes and moments of the film. So I’m looking forward to screening the film for Nantucket families to see what jumps out at them. It's a film that I hope encourages and inspires people to think beyond traditional boundaries of social norms and re-embrace their inner child. And above all that, it’s a joyful film, and for me, a successful screening is simply when the film makes the audience smile. 

Liam: I’m super excited to be showing Perched at Nantucket, I feel the location and audience there is perfectly fitting for sharing our story. With the beautiful harbors and long history of the whaling community, I believe our mariner themed story suits Nantucket just right. I hope that the families in attendance take away exciting conversations and a joint experience of laughter and fun whilst watching it. The film showcases bravery and the ability do the right thing and hopefully that message gets across and people take away a positive outlook towards their lives. (Also that seagull’s aren’t all that bad!)

Peter: It’s amazing to have our little film go to places like Nantucket. We wanted kids from around the globe to see this, but we never dreamed it would reach so many families all over the world. We are very proud of the whole film and the message against bullying and in support of friendship is universal, and it seems to mean a lot to many people. Nantucket is a great festival and it’s a real honour to be a part of this year’s line-up. We’re especially excited to be in the kid’s short section. I think if the audience can have just a taste of the wonder that the films I grew up with gave me, then everybody who made Litterbugs would be very happy with that.