The film centers around Ori, a boy whose hobby of making organized collections makes him the subject of ridicule by bullies at his school. After receiving a Limelight Star cap from a crow, the collection of which would brand him India's "Limelight Star," Ori sees it as his mission to retrieve as many of these caps as possible. The crow leads him to Kachua Beach (Turtle Beach). But upon arriving, what was once Kachua Beach has become Kachra Beach--a beach of garbage, with mountains of garbage everywhere and from which the public is not allowed. Undeterred by the seemingly impossible task before him, Ori reaches out to friends and family to return the beach to its former glory. This film is from India, with dialogue in Hindi and English subtitles.
At first, I was disappointed that the animation was AI generated as I felt that it works against the pro-human, pro-environmentalist message of the story. However, the story is certainly worthy of our attention and honors the events that initiated this story. The film was inspired by the real-life story of Afroz Shah - a lawyer who successfully led one of the largest beach clean-up efforts in the world - bringing together over 200,000 people to restore the shoreline - and it shows that anything is possible as long as one puts their mind to it. As a short film, the plot develops rapidly, but it's easy for viewers to pick up on these points and relate to them. Ori doesn't start out to be a hero, he just wants to collect enough bottle caps to win a competition. However, Ori's persistence in making Kachua Beach clean again speaks to those yearning to make a difference and who care for the well-being of our planet. The film falters somewhat in the visual department, with the AI-generated animation resulting in uncanny visuals such as Ori's legs changing from back-facing to front-facing in the scene where he's dancing, Ori's expression when he smells the beach, and similar. But, the essence of the story is what's most important. My favorite part is when the Olive Ridley turtles return to Kachua Beach after it is restored, an event that occurred in real life at a beach in Versova, Mumbai.
The film's message is about the value of determination and self-expression. These two qualities, regardless of one's identity, hold significance and are worth cultivating. It's a reminder to never give up, no matter what.
I give Miracle on Kachua Beach 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12, plus adults. By Christian C. and Julie S., KIDS FIRST!
The film centers around Ori, a boy whose hobby of making organized collections makes him the subject of ridicule by bullies at his school. After receiving a Limelight Star cap from a crow, the collection of which would brand him India's "Limelight Star," Ori sees it as his mission to retrieve as many of these caps as possible. The crow leads him to Kachua Beach (Turtle Beach). But upon arriving, what was once Kachua Beach has become Kachra Beach--a beach of garbage, with mountains of garbage everywhere and from which the public is not allowed. Undeterred by the seemingly impossible task before him, Ori reaches out to friends and family to return the beach to its former glory. This film is from India, with dialogue in Hindi and English subtitles.
At first, I was disappointed that the animation was AI generated as I felt that it works against the pro-human, pro-environmentalist message of the story. However, the story is certainly worthy of our attention and honors the events that initiated this story. The film was inspired by the real-life story of Afroz Shah - a lawyer who successfully led one of the largest beach clean-up efforts in the world - bringing together over 200,000 people to restore the shoreline - and it shows that anything is possible as long as one puts their mind to it. As a short film, the plot develops rapidly, but it's easy for viewers to pick up on these points and relate to them. Ori doesn't start out to be a hero, he just wants to collect enough bottle caps to win a competition. However, Ori's persistence in making Kachua Beach clean again speaks to those yearning to make a difference and who care for the well-being of our planet. The film falters somewhat in the visual department, with the AI-generated animation resulting in uncanny visuals such as Ori's legs changing from back-facing to front-facing in the scene where he's dancing, Ori's expression when he smells the beach, and similar. But, the essence of the story is what's most important. My favorite part is when the Olive Ridley turtles return to Kachua Beach after it is restored, an event that occurred in real life at a beach in Versova, Mumbai.
The film's message is about the value of determination and self-expression. These two qualities, regardless of one's identity, hold significance and are worth cultivating. It's a reminder to never give up, no matter what.
I give Miracle on Kachua Beach 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12, plus adults. By Christian C. and Julie S., KIDS FIRST!
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