Buffalo Kids

2024 Spanish film
  • Pedro Solís García
  • Juan Jesús García Galocha
Screenplay by
  • Jordi Gasull
  • Javier Barreira
StarringAlisha Weir
Gemma Arterton
Sean Bean
Stephen GrahamMusic byFernando Velázquez
Production
companies
  • 4Cats Pictures
  • Atresmedia Cine
  • Anangu Grup
  • Little Big Boy AIE
  • Mogambo Productions
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release dates
  • 14 June 2024 (2024-06-14) (Annecy)
  • 14 August 2024 (2024-08-14) (Spain)
CountrySpain

Buffalo Kids is a 2024 Spanish computer-animated adventure film directed by Pedro Solís and Juan Galocha.

Plot

Set in the 19th century, the plot follows the adventures of two orphaned Irish siblings (Tom and Mary) who emigrate to the United States to reunite with their uncle Niall in New York City, befriending paraplegic boy Nick and starting a journey across North America instead.[1][2][3]

Voice cast

English-language track
  • Alisha Weir as Mary[4]
  • Gemma Arterton[4]
  • Sean Bean[4]
  • Stephen Graham[4]
Spanish-language track
  • Mía Pérez[5]
  • Jaume Solà[5]
  • Javier Cassi[5]
  • Federico Bote[5]
  • Miguel Ángel Jenner [es][5]

Production

Written by Jordi Gasull and Javier Barreira, the screenplay of Buffalo Kids is based on Pedro Solís' short film Cuerdas [es], which is in turn inspired by the real-life relationship between Solís' children, Alejandra and Nico (with Mary and Nick respectively being their alter egos in the film).[6] The film is a 4Cats Pictures, Atresmedia Cine, Anangu Grup, Little Big Boy AIE, and Mogambo Productions production.[7]

Release

The film premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on 14 June 2024.[8] It also made it to the animation slate of the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival for its Asian premiere,[9] and to the 'Elements +6' competition of the 54th Giffoni Film Festival.[10] Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it was released theatrically in Spain on 14 August 2024.[3][11] The film was also sold to Warner Bros. Discovery in Italy, as well as to Best Film (Poland), NOS Lusomundo (Portugal), The Film Group (Greece), MegaCom Film (former Yugoslavia), Filmhouse (Israel), Front Row Entertainment (Middle East), and Nathan Studios (Philippines).[1]

Reception

Raquel Hernández Luján of HobbyConsolas gave the film 85 points ('very good'), declaring it "an excellent animated film aimed at children's audiences", very nice and "very enjoyable for its human and production values".[12]

Javier Ocaña of Cinemanía rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, considering that, while "soft and ultimately relying too much on chance" vis-à-vis the outcome of the story, it is "entertaining, and it has "some nice gags" and an "excellent pace".[13]

Juan Pando [es] of Fotogramas rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, positively writing about how the film "will make the kids feel like they are part of a great adventure", while negatively citing how it displays an "overly politically-correct vision of the West".[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Lang, Jamie (7 June 2024). "CMG Sells Annecy Presents Player 'Buffalo Kids' in Key Territories (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Tráiler de Buffalo Kids, lo nuevo de los creadores de Tadeo Jones". Europa Press. 10 May 2024. Archived from the original on 16 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  3. ^ a b Gomez, Estrella (18 May 2024). "Los creadores de Las aventuras de Tadeo Jones presentarán este año su nueva película de animación". ign.com. Archived from the original on 16 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d Kay, Jeremy (13 February 2023). "Rising young star Alisha Weir joins voice cast on CMG's 'Buffalo Kids' (exclusive)". ScreenDaily. Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Pando, Juan (14 August 2024). "Crítica de 'Buffalo Kids', para iniciar a los peques en el western sin dejar a nadie atrás". Fotogramas.
  6. ^ "'Buffalo Kids', un delicioso wéstern que revive a Nico, el protagonista de 'Cuerdas'". eldiario.es. 12 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Tres producciones catalanas formarán parte del Festival de Cine de Animación de Annecy (Francia)". La Vanguardia. 3 June 2016.
  8. ^ "Pedro Solís coestrena en Annecy 'Buffalo Kids', su ópera prima en largometrajes". swissinfo. 14 June 2024. Archived from the original on 16 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  9. ^ Brzeski, Patrick (29 May 2024). "Shanghai Film Festival Unveils 2024 Competition Lineup". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 15 June 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  10. ^ "Giffoni Film Festival, tutti i vincitori della 54esima edizione". TgCom24. 29 July 2024.
  11. ^ Martínez, Estela C. (14 August 2024). "Llega a los cines 'Buffalo Kids', la inspiradora historia animada de Atresmedia Cine". Antena 3.
  12. ^ Hernández Luján, Raquel (12 August 2024). "Crítica de Buffalo Kids, una preciosidad de película como muchas opciones a premios". HobbyConsolas.
  13. ^ Ocaña, Javier (13 August 2024). "Crítica de 'Buffalo Kids': reinvención del cine del Oeste en tiempos de buenos sentimientos". Cinemanía – via 20minutos.es.