Iranian animation ‘Smart Kid’ breaks box office records
Iran’s animated film, ‘Smart Kid,’ created a significant impression in the world of cinema, earning over $320,000 in just under a month since its release in Iranian cinemas.
The film’s producer, Hamed Ja’fari, proudly underlines that this achievement marks a historic milestone. “For the first time, an animated film has drawn more than 430,000 viewers to theaters and appealed to both families and children with its narrative in such a short period,” he said.
Ja’fari anticipated that ‘Smart Kid’ would excel in records set by its predecessors, ‘The Princess of Rome’ and ‘The Elephant King,’ eventually reaching the title of the most-watched animated film in Iranian cinema.
The film’s storyline revolves around Mohsen, a young boy with a great love for superheroes. During a fateful journey to the cloud forest in Mazandaran, Iran, he crosses paths with a tiger escaping from illegal hunters. Mohsen’s exceptional ability to communicate with animals fosters a unique connection with the tiger.
As the tiger finds refuge in Tehran, Mohsen’s life takes a thrilling turn, accompanied by a mission to restore the creature to its natural habitat.
In this animation, storytelling is of high significance, avoiding the misconception that, because the audience are children, the story can be illogical. ‘Smart Kid’ makes an effort to tell a coherent story that captures the interest of new-generation children right from the beginning.
Given that children are constantly exposed to superhero characters created in Hollywood’s Marvel and comic book world through satellite networks, tablets, and mobile phones, this film takes advantage of their high interest in these characters. It starts with Mohsen’s strong interest in superheroes and even his supernatural abilities, such as communicating with animals. However, he later uses these superhero qualities for the curious and noble cause of saving the forest.
The second part of the story shifts its focus to the serious issue of illegal hunting and the difficulty of endangered species in the forests. Mohsen’s friendship with the critically endangered Mazandaran tiger species sheds light on the concept of endangerment and the tireless efforts of environmentalists, who stand as steadfast allies to these endangered creatures.
As this animated masterpiece continues to appeal to audiences, experts discuss the factors behind its unprecedented success.
Saeed Sheikhzadeh, the director of dubbing for the animation project, attributes a significant part of its success to voice acting. With an ensemble cast of actors like Hooman Haji Abdollahi, Javad Pezeshkian, George Petrosi, Mina Qiasipour, Maryam Radpour and others, ‘Smart Kid’ delivers a level of professionalism that sets it apart in the animation world.
He explained that since ‘Smart Kid’ is a cinematic work, international standards must be adhered to, and it requires coordination with the director. Therefore, before the animation was created, the dubbing team performed the roles. After gradually achieving the desired results in terms of character emotions, actions, and performances, the animation production began. This approach enhanced the professionalism of the animation in terms of character delivery, actions, and performances.
Some other experts attribute the success of the story to its use of religious themes. Given that the cloud forest is situated on the way from Tehran to Mashhad, in reality, this forest has a special protector referred to as the “Heart of the Forest,” who is miraculously healed by the eighth Imam of Shia Muslims, Imam Reza (PBUH), and the animals hold particular respect for him.
This aspect of the story even aids the narrative in bringing wrongdoers to justice by the end, allowing them to become aware of their mistakes. It’s a conclusion more acceptable for children and teenagers.
Nevertheless, some critics may find that addressing religious themes directly could have an impact on the range of audiences who wish to watch the film.
While the precise factors behind the animation’s success may be subject to debate, there is no denying that the film could claim the title of the most-watched animated film in the history of Iranian cinema. However, it is evident that Iran’s animation industry still possesses untapped potential, and there is a promising journey ahead toward realizing its full capacities.