Pothakudi’s Electric Birds

BASED ON A TRUE STORY THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE SMALL TAMIL VILLAGE OF POTHAKUDI IN INDIA, THIS HOPEFUL TALE IS A VIBRANT TRIBUTE TO NATURE AND THE COLLECTIVE SPIRIT OF YOUTH.

 

Every evening, it’s Karuppu Raja’s job to turn on the streetlights – the only source of light for most villagers – to keep thieves and wild animals away from the houses. But one day, Raja finds a vannattikuruvi nesting there! The female, with a round belly like the moon, seems ready to lay her eggs, and he can’t bring himself to destroy the nest… With some help from his friends, he manages to convince the villagers to leave the flycatcher alone and go without light for 35 days. When the eggs finally hatch, the tension subsides. The entire village is fascinated by this unique gift and cherishes these unusual neighbours. Until one day, the family of birds fly away to discover other lands. But maybe someday they’ll come back to protect their Pothakudi friends…

 

“Splendid (…) with strong, stylized and expressive illustrations, it is the young people who will make the best decisions and stick to them. Based on a true story, this remarkable collective adventure builds a beautiful bond between old and young people and portrays the current desire to respect the animal kingdom. Outstanding.” ELLE magazine

 

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