Magic Light Pictures on Loop! (U)



Indulge in adaptations of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much-loved picture books from Magic Light Pictures at MAF this year. Take a trip into the woods with a little mouse to grapple with the Gruffalo and meet The Gruffalo’s Child. Find Room on the Broom and discover the family tree with Stick Man. Pilfer sweet treats with the Highway Rat and then soar through the air with Zog and the Flying Doctors. Along the way meet Snails, Whales, Smeds, Smoos and Superworm all together and playing on loop at MAF this November!

This is a free un-ticketed event.



Date & Time: Tue, 14 Nov (10:00) - Tue 14 Nov (18:00)
Approx. Runtime: 480 mins
Certification:U
Venue: Manchester Central Library
Tickets:
BUY PASS

Films in this programme:

Room on the Boom

A half hour animated film based on the wonderful children’s picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. ROOM ON THE BROOM is a magical tale about friendship and family from Magic Light Pictures, the producers of the hugely successful The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child.

Director: Max Lang & Jan Lachauer

Year: 2012


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Stick Man

A half hour animated film based on the much-loved children’s picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo. STICK MAN tells the tale of a happy go lucky father’s epic journey to make it home in time for Christmas. From Magic Light Pictures, producers of the hugely successful The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child and Room on the Broom films.

Director: Jeroen Jaspaert & Daniel Snaddon

Year: 2015


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Superworm

Superworm is a wonderfully unlikely comic hero. He’s a long, strong worm with amazing skills and a big heart who keeps on saving the day.

Butterfly has been Superworm’s best friends since he was small, and she was a caterpillar. They love helping the other garden animals: they save the baby toad from a major road, they entertain bored bees, rescue a beetle. It seems there’s no end to Superworm’s skills but he begins to get a bit too full of himself and he starts to ignore his friend.

When the evil Wizard Lizard hears of Superworm’s powers he sends his servant, Crow, to kidnap him. Then he forces Superworm to burrow underground looking for treasure. Butterfly hatches a plan with the other garden creatures to save Superworm, trapping Wizard Lizard and dumping him on the rubbish heap!

All of the animals celebrate Superworm’s return and Butterfly forgives Superworm for his big headedness. The pair are reunited as friends.

Director: Jac Hamman & Sarah Scrimgeour

Year: 2021


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The Gruffalo

A half hour animated film based on the classic picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. A magical tale of a mouse who takes a stroll though the woods. Encountering three predators who all wish to eat him – a fox, an owl and a snake – the plucky mouse has to use his wits to survive.

Director: Jakob Schuh & Max Lang

Year: 2009


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The Gruffalo’s Child

A half hour animated film based on the classic children’s picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, The Gruffalo’s Child tells the delightful tale of a little Gruffalo who ignores her father’s warnings and tiptoes out into the snow in search of the Big Bad Mouse.

Director: Johannes Weiland & Uwe Heidschötter

Year: 2011


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The Highway Rat

A half hour family animated film based on the much-loved children’s book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. THE HIGHWAY RAT tells the swashbuckling tale of a greedy rat who craves buns and biscuits, but comes to a sticky end. From Magic Light Pictures, producers of the hugely successful The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child, Room on the Broom and Stick Man.

Director: Jeroen Jaspaert

Year: 2017


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The Smeds and the Smoos

On a faraway planet, two aliens, Janet and Bill, meet in the Wurpular Wood and become friends. The families, the red Smeds and the blue Smoos, are dismayed at the match. “Never, never play with a Smed!” exclaims Grandmother Smoo, while Janet’s Grandfather Smed says the Smoos are “a beastly bunch!”.

Grandmother and Grandfather have to learn to overcome their differences though, when Janet and Bill run off in Grandfather’s red rocket. The Smeds and The Smoos travel through space together on their search for Janet and Bill. As the two families are starting to lose hope and head back to their home planet, they spot the runaway pair down below in the Wurpular Wood. But they’re in for a surprise when Bill and Janet announce their tiny baby Smoo-Smed, who is purple from head to toe.

Director: Samantha Cutler & Daniel Snaddon

Year: 2022


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The Snail and the Whale

A half hour family film based on the much loved picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.

Join the snail on the tail of a great big grey-blue humpback whale on her journey around the globe. In the unlikely friendship between an ambitious sea snail and a humpback whale, discover the power of the sea and the perils of swimming too close to the shore… Can the snail save the whale when he is beached in a secluded bay?

A Christmas viewing treat for all the family from four-time Oscar-nominated producers Magic Light Pictures.

Director: Max Lang & Daniel Snaddon

Year: 2019


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Zog

A half hour family film based on the much loved picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.

ZOG is the story of a keen young dragon who wants to learn how to fly, roar, and breathe fire in his first years at Dragon School. He’s desperate to impress his teacher and win a golden star, but he’s accident prone and each year he has to be helped by a kind young girl who patches up his bumps and bruises. Then in Year Four, he has to capture a princess – can the young girl help him with his trickiest challenge yet?

A Christmas viewing treat for all the family from four-time Oscar-nominated producers Magic Light Pictures.

Director: Max Lang & Daniel Snaddon

Year: 2018


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Zog and the Flying Doctors

A comedy adventure from Magic Light Pictures. Princess Pearl, Sir Gadabout and Zog the dragon make a most unlikely flying doctor team who are committed to treating all kinds of creatures, real and mythical, including a sunburnt mermaid, a unicorn with an extra horn and a lion with the flu.

One day, the trio accidentally fly into a storm. It’s hard flying and Gadabout and Zog are tired and miserable, so when Pearl spots her uncle’s castle they decide to fly down to take shelter. But the King isn’t happy to see that Pearl has discarded her pretty dresses and is now a doctor, so he captures her and holds her locked in the castle. Zog and Gadabout try all sorts of ways to get her out, but their efforts are in vain.

Just as Pearl sees a way to escape she discovers that her uncle has become extremely sick and surprisingly orange, and she makes the brave decision to stay and find a way to treat him. With Zog and Gadabout’s help (and a clue from a poorly dove) she finds a cure which needs ingredients from their friends the lion, unicorn and mermaid, which Zog and Gadabout fly off to get.

After some gentle persuasion, Pearl convinces the King to take the medicine, and soon he is dancing with delight. He finally admits that Princesses can be doctors. A final grand goodbye sets the trio on their way once more, and Zog and the Flying Doctors speed away into the sunset.

Director: Sean Mullen

Year: 2020


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