TONY, SHELLY and the MAGIC LIGHT: A Film Review
by Karen Pecota

Filip Pošivač | Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic | 2023

A graduate of the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, filmmaker Filip Pošivač specializes in the field of animation. In his animated feature debut TONY, SHELLY AND THE MAGIC LIGHT Pošivač uses stop-motion puppet animation technology.

He shares, “Animation has always been something magical to me. When a puppet moves, a sparkle lights in the eyes of both children and adult viewers. There is something so enchanting about it!” Adding: “Animation breathes life to puppets. The puppets and the strings around them are made of regular materials—things that we are usually familiar with. When watching stop-motion animation, we have the intimate feeling that we can touch the story.”

This is so evident in Pošivač’s film, especially in the magical worlds of both Tony and Shelly. Pošivač has simply created a beautiful expression of fantasy in the use of materials, tones and colors that we see and use daily at our disposal, i.e., handmade quilts, paper, cloth materials, etc. Most impressive is the way Pošivač creatively designs the imagery of darkness.

TONY, SHELLY AND THE MAGIC LIGHT is a story that unfolds what it’s like to be different and how friendship and imagination can have an effect on the worlds of light and darkness.

Synopsis:

Tony is an eleven-year-old boy who lives with his parents and siblings in an apartment building with several neighboring families. Tony has a strange feature in that his face glows. In order to protect him from ridicule from the outside world, his parents are overprotective and attach a long-tethered rope to his belt every time he leaves their apartment. This confining life Tony leads is a lonely one.

One day, a new tenant and her daughter, Shelly, moves into the building. Tony befriends Shelly and for the first time Tony has a friend who accepts him and his unique feature; for Shelly has her own peculiarity. Shelly has a secret treasure that becomes known when Tony introduces Shelly to his magical pillow-made fort. Once inside, Shelly reveals to Tony her magical flashlight. Together they bring a playful fantasy world to life that gives them confidence to conquer anything.

The gruff landlord also protects Tony and tells him a story about the darkness in building—the black puff balls. He shares the correlation between the darkness and the dissension among the tenants. He knows that when it is time, Tony will be able to help rid the building of its negative secrets.

Upon the unexpected passing of the landlord, Tony and Shelly embark on a journey to adhere to the landlord’s request—destroy the darkness of evil that lurks in the building so the tenants can live in harmony.