A twist on the familiar story, Chile’s Cristóbal León describe the project as a ‘very personal adaptation of the classic fairy tale, with the main difference that Hansel and Gretel are both boys in this version, at least at the beginning.’
Ari Aster and producing partner Lars Knudsen will executive produce Chileans Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña’s upcoming stop-motion feature Hansel & Gretel under their Square Peg banner.
The film will add a twist on the familiar, breadcrumb following tale. “It’s our very personal adaptation of the classic fairy tale, with the main difference that Hansel and Gretel are both boys in this version, at least at the beginning of the story,” León told Variety.
“We try hard to keep it experimental and not to feel like bureaucrats of artwork, you know, because in animation it’s really easy to become a slave to the decisions that you took previously,” he added.
The Chilean duo is known for their experimental techniques, and previously worked with Aster on Beau is Afraid.
“Cociña and León are among the true originals working in animation right now,” said Aster. “You can trace their sensibility back to several artists of the uncanny, but there is no real analogue for the effect that their work produces in the viewer.”
“I’ve said before that they strike me as the successors to Švankmajer and the Quays, their obvious influences tracing all the way back to Starevich, but I have a feeling that they have already started building a unique tradition of their own,” Aster continued.
The project seeks additional co-production partners.
Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologist—Laurén brings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.
