the origins of alma
500 years in the future, in the year 2523, the earth is a dry wasteland destroyed by humans. Yet - there is hope - and it comes in the form of ALMA, an adorable, fluffy and brilliant Vulkeet (half parakeet and half vulture), who is a healer and drives a Vespa.
The first act of Alma’s story begins with the last short, Las Nogas, in the eco-thrilling shorts trilogy–an animated metaphor that upholds environmental awareness. The entire series of films champion empathy and collaboration being crucial elements for achieving global unity and emphasize the contributions that women make towards improving society.
THE TRILOGY (3 SHORTS)
It’s the future and humanity is but a memory, existing only in scattered pieces. That is, until a pillow's needlepoint rendering of three individuals, collectively known as the Clothespin Freaks, finds the spark of life and surfaces to fulfill their destinies. Once aware of their purpose, the group begins assembling the remains of humanity…
LF (short for Lost & Found), a cheerful female animated sign takes the unfinished Homeys to an underground “Lost & Found” laboratory where a team of quirky, ingenious characters provides the Homeys with missing body parts and prepares them for their mission to restore balance to the desert Earth.
Alma is called upon by her bird friend and master engineer, Hitch, to come to Las Nogas and help fix his malfunctioning rain machine. She sets off on her Vespa right away! At Las Nogas, Alma meets Gormal, a groundhog climatologist, a swarm of bees, quirky Clothespin Freaks, two-headed geniuses, and the machine’s most critical workers, the altruistic Homeys who are too sick to do their job. Using her expert medical skills, she nurses them back to health and helps bring back the nourishing rains. Everyone rejoices - Earth – for centuries a dry wasteland – is now a sprouting heaven. But Alma’s role in getting Earth back on track is just beginning!
What’s next for Alma: the feature
The selfless Vulkeet Alma is on a mission to get the earth back on track. She sends for all her flasks and herbs via a snail operated service and moves into Hitch’s Las Nogas tree house. When her supplies finally arrive… Eek! A ginormous purple Dragonfly jumps out of a box and calls her Mummy! Mummy? The encounter triggers Alma’s lost memories of her beloved penguin foster parents who live in the Antarctic.
As Alma grapples with this blast from her past, she faces a difficult choice: should she stay in Las Nogas with Hitch and continue her crucial work, or make a long journey to reunite with her foster family in the Antarctic?
If you enjoyed ALMA so far and would like to access the full script, please contact catya@catyaplate.com. And read more about contributing and connecting with Catya here.
PRODUCTION STILLS
