STORY BY DANIEL FIGUEIREDO
SCREENPLAY BY GLEYSON SPADETTI
TYPE: Feature Film
GENRE: Adventure / Fantasy
DURATION: 120 Minutes
TARGET AUDIENCE: Young Adults / Adults
LANGUAGE: English
PRODUCERS:
Daniel Figueiredo
Carolina Brasil
Anselmo Martini
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: XpandFilms and Stone Horus Media
What is the great power behind a story?
Scattered across the planet Earth, human beings of all origins, traditions, and beliefs have one fact in common: the entire structure of their lives is based on a story. And not just the story of people, but the story of each person's personal life and ancestry, which keeps alive the power that each human being has to transcend and modify his trajectory. In a world where the value of stories and the personal heroic journey of each human being loses its meaning, a family will rediscover the power of Fairy Tales. A fantastic adventure that teaches them, through the lives of great characters, the power of narratives and ancestry.
“STORYLAND” is an adventure and fantasy film that, starting from the great Fairy Tales, delves into the human trajectory in search of maintaining the universal values that keep our families and society alive. Telling stories, and hypnotizing children and grandchildren through great and charming characters, goes far beyond the act of entertaining. Hidden in these plots full of dangers and great twists are the seeds of respect, compassion, care, prudence, and countless feelings that are the basis of social life. Remembering Fairy Tales is knowing that being part of a group, of a family, is being responsible for the balance that keeps the whole society in harmony, away from the “chaos” – which is what happens when we lose that memory that only the great classics of literature can bring us.
Starting from the dysfunctional and chaotic life of a family saddened by disarray, where money is deemed more valuable than anything else, the hearing|audience will be led on a transformative journey by the compelling characters of Fairy Tales. By prompting a father, son, and grandfather to rediscover and retell these Fairy Tales, the characters of these classics will guide viewers to rediscover within themselves the importance of positive emotions and respect for their roots, values that uphold the power of familial unity.”
GEORGE STEVENS (8) is a rude, unpleasant boy who sees no value in anything other than video games or electronics. Neglected by his father, who barely speaks to him, he is a sad child, who hides all his frustrations in toys and games that further encourage violence and abandonment. His life will be transformed by his grandfather Oliver's favorite book of Fairy Tales - who dies in an accident without him being able to say goodbye to his grandson.
GEORGE STEVENS (38) is a cold, unfeeling man whose fantasy has never been a part of his life. Hardened by the weight of business, he can't even take care of his own health. Totally distant from the child he was in the past, today he doesn't even have time for video games, his life revolving around the company. Single because he thinks that family is a waste of time, his life will be transformed by Fairy Tales and he will become a great father to the children he will have in the future.
OLIVER STEVENS (60) born into a very poor family, whose only inheritance he received was a book called “The Fantastic World of Characters”, and because of this book he built a publishing empire based on the great Fairy Tales. Very busy, he neglected the education of his only son, Michael, which made him and his grandson very cold and calculating people. He dies in an accident, but when his grandson George remakes his life through Fairy Tales, he is saved and manages to live to be a great-grandfather.
MICHAEL STEVENS (45) only child of Oliver Stevens, George's father, is the biggest mistake of his father's life. Insensitive and calculating, he never gave due value to family life and his son George. Responsible for the business turnaround that turned his father's publishing group into a communications empire, he never placed any value on fantasy literature - the only value he unfortunately passed on to his son George. His life will be transformed by the radical change experienced by George and he will be able to be a great grandfather himself.
Born into an affluent family, and owner of a publishing empire, George Stevens is a typical eight-year-old boy from the 90s, bewitched by video games, Walkman, and news from the electronic world. His life, empty of affection and good feelings, has no room for any kind of story other than the violence of electronic games. His grandfather, Oliver Stevens, founder of the publishing group, made a fortune releasing and re-releasing, for decades, fairy tales that he now can't even share with his grandson. George's father, Michael, a greedy man who sees no value in anything that doesn't make money, has become the family's publishing group into the biggest textbook factory, where nothing reminiscent of fantasy has a place. Upset by the harsh way Michael and George treat each other, Oliver tries to read to his grandson his childhood favorite book, “The Amazing World of Characters", but he doesn't even listen to his grandfather. That same day, Oliver has an accident and dies, leaving a huge void in the lives of Michael and, especially, George. Years go by and, in 2020, George is now the head of the publishing group. Even greedier than his father, George struggles to keep the group at the top of the textbook business while suffering from an incurable disease he keeps secret. Sad to know that he will soon die, George doesn't find any life satisfaction that doesn't come from money – since he never even married. This is where the magic happens: Puss in Boots makes George, a child in the past and a sick adult in the future, find the book his grandfather Oliver so wanted to read to him. This book, "The Amazing World of Characters," is not just a book, but a magical and millennial relic, passed down from generation to generation in the Stevens family, and that, when read by relatives, children, and grandchildren, keeps life away from the chaos and of sadness. Communicating through the book allows the George of the past to converse with the George of the future, Oliver's grandson plunges into a fantastic adventure, full of mysteries, dangers, and twists through the stories of the great classics of Fairy Tales. Guided by these Fairy Tales, George revamps his life, recovering his health, preventing the accident that killed his grandfather, regaining the value of family, and discovering the greatest story ever told: his own life. Saved by fantasy characters, George, Michael, and Oliver re-edit these literary classics, bringing their stories to new generations— relatives, children, and grandchildren alike— whose lives will also be miraculously transformed.
Freely inspired by the great classics of universal literature, the fairy tale, "Storyland," has its narrative structure anchored by the creative retelling of six stories. The final story, the seventh story, is inspired by Joseph Campbell and his "Hero's Journey".
The first six stories of the narrative structure will be moral reinterpretations of often-lost values, even within the family, emphasizing the importance of these emotions in individual growth:
1 - “LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD AND THE CURSE OF THE FORBIDDEN ROAD”, emphasizes the value of listening to the elders.
2 - “JOHN AND THE POISON THAT KILLED GIANTS”, shows where greed can lead us.
3 - “PINOCCHIO AND THE VOICES OF DANGER”, demonstrates the dangers of lying.
4 - “THE THREE LITTLE PIGS THAT DIDN'T WANT TO SEE”, teaches the value of common sense.
5 - “THE LITTLE THUMB AND THE EGO PUZZLE”, communicates the importance of not belittling anyone.
6 - “THE UGLY DUCKLING AND THE MYSTERY OF WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE”, encourages us to see beyond appearances.
The seventh and final story sown into the dramaturgical narrative, "THE BOY WHO DIDN'T WANT TO SAVE THE WORLD", told by Puss in Boots - the great narrator of the film - will be a dive into the "Hero's Journey", in the molds inspired by Joseph Campbell. In this plot, the Stevens Family will learn the value of their ancestors, their stories, and, above all, the preciousness that each life represents for humanity - ending the film with the following message: “The greatest story anyone can tell is their own life”.
DANIEL FIGUEIREDO
STORY & PRODUCER
CAROLINA BRASIL
PRODUCER
ANSELMO MARTINI
PRODUCER
Daniel Figueiredo is a renowned music producer and entrepreneur, recognized as one of Brazil's most accomplished music score composers. He has composed music scores for over 20 TV series, which have been broadcast in more than 150 countries, in addition to numerous films. Notable among his achievements are the successful soundtracks for telenovelas such as “The Mutants: Pathways of the Heart,” “Opposite Lives,” “The Law and The Crime,” “Joseph from Egypt,” “The Promised Land,” and the phenomenal success “Moses and the Ten Commandments.”
Carolina Brasil was born in Rio de Janeiro and graduated from the University of Miami in 2007. In that same year, she founded a clothing company. As a promising new designer, she was invited to showcase her brand on the runway at Nolcha NY Fashion Week, where she garnered attention as a rising star in the fashion industry. Since then, her brand has gained recognition in the United States for its innovative collections.
Anselmo Martini is a Brazilian-American producer, director, and experienced attorney who has worked in prominent law firms in Brazil, New York, and Los Angeles. With a wealth of knowledge in law, international affairs, and business, Martini has established his expertise in these fields. He has also been affiliated with the prestigious advertising group, WPP Group, located on Madison Avenue. In Los Angeles, Martini founded the Monarca Group and co-founded Stone Horus Media, while in Brazil, he established Monarca Filmes.