Disney's new animated film Wish is an ode to the company's steller back catalogue, its directors say.
As the studio celebrates its 100th anniversary, some of its best-known creations including Snow White and Pinocchio provide inspiration for Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn.
Buck is a veteran, having previously directed the Oscar-winning Frozen as well as fan favourite Tarzan. Veerasunthorn, who is from Thailand, is a newcomer to directing, though she previously worked in the art department for films such Moana and Zootopia.
“Getting to work with Chris on Frozen was kind of mind-blowing," she tells The National. “And I love working with him. He has taught me that being a director doesn't mean that you have to hold all the answers.”
Wish tells the story of Asha who lives in the magical kingdom of Rosas, ruled by a seemingly benevolent and magic-wielding ruler named Magnifico. The film follows Asha as she discovers that Magnifico is not what he seems, as he uses his magical powers to deny the citizens of Rosas their wishes.
Timed for release as Disney celebrates its centenary, the film is a love letter to the animation studio's best work. Buck and Veerasunthorn have brought back the pen strokes and colours of films of yesteryear using computer-generated technology.
Buck adds: “It's gorgeous illustrations, but we have the CG technology today. So, we're able to move into those, those paintings, and sort of make moving illustrations."
Starring Ariana DeBose as Asha, Chris Pine as Magnifico and Alan Tudyk as Asha's pet goat Valentino, the directors also raved about their voice actors.
"Ariana brought so much of herself. She took this role with her energy and her enthusiasm," says Veerasunthorn.
Buck adds: "Chris was amazing, Chris brought in the charm, which is just natural for him, but he was able to go to the villainous route."
Wish also continues Disney’s tradition of creating original music and songs for its animated films, with the film employing Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Julia Michaels.
"We try to make the music integral to the story we use," Buck says. "We don't just stop and have them sing a song that has nothing to do with furthering the plot.
“It's always about furthering the plot. And I think that's why those songs engage the audience as much as they do.”
When asked about his favourite thing about the film, Buck says: "It's just it's so fun and vibrant. I think it has a great message – that we're all stars and there's a power in each one of us.
"It also just visually evokes some of the fun of all the Disney movies, and the great music of those."
And, it seems audiences agree. Having hit worldwide cinemas on Thursday in time for Thanksgiving, it its leading the US box office having taken $8.3 million in already. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, it currently holds an 82 per cent audience score.
Wish is now showing in UAE cinemas
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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