Nonna

Blending cutting-edge animation technology with characters that speak to our hearts, Nonna is a poignant film of universal appeal. Directed by Ann Marie Freda, President of O’Plenty’s Computer Animation division (OPCG), Nonna combines the themes of responsibility, cultural values and the wisdom of elders.

For Nonna, hand-drawn animation is being translated onto the character models to enhance acting and timing. "Although it’s an enormous task that is more costly, the process of drawing (the scenes) first makes a considerable difference," says O’Plenty’s Executive Producer Chris Larson, "Only traditionally-trained animators can bring characters to life. What I see in a lot of computer animation is a general lifelessness or stiffness brought about by an overuse of motion capture or a glaring lack of animation fundamentals." Freda agrees: "There's no substitute for traditional skills. This film combines the best of both worlds - technology and tradition, brought together to tell a universal story of enduring values."

The beauty of Nonna is not in the technology, but the story. The word "Nonna" means "grandmother" in Italian. Nonna is a mini-epic that follows three generations of women to a revelation about the nature of life itself.

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