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| A scene from the film "Elemental" / Courtesy of Walt Disney Co. Korea |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
"Elemental" director Peter Sohn discussed bringing his personal story of immigration to the upcoming Pixar animated film. Born and raised in New York City by Korean immigrant parents, the filmmaker said that the film was inspired by fond memories of his parents.
"They both passed away during the making of this film. But it was so much of what they taught me and sacrificed. I'm thankful for my parents who came from Korea to New York in the late 1960s. My father started a grocery store and his customers came from different backgrounds. The compassion my father showed to diverse communities had an impact on me that made me want to showcase it in the film," he told Korean reporters during a press conference for the film at CGV Yongsan in Seoul, Tuesday.
Sohn explained that his use of the four classical elements, fire, earth, air and water, was drawn out of the periodic table of elements.
"When I first saw the periodic table at school, it looked like apartment complexes. All these little boxes reminded me of the families and the neighborhood I was growing up with. Then I boiled it down to four classical elements ― fire, earth, air and water. From there, it was just a lot of trying to find the fun," he said.
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| "Elemental" director Peter Sohn / Courtesy of Walt Disney Co. Korea |
Set in Elemental City, where the four elements coexist harmoniously but separately, the film follows water element Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie) and fire element Ember Lumen (Leah Lewis), who falls in love with one another. Despite their differences, the two must collaborate to save Ember's family business.
Sohn said the film not only explores mixed-race relationships but also father-daughter dynamics. "The idea of an immigration storyline boiled down to a father-daughter storyline has been met with very positive reactions. Many seem to enjoy the connection between fire and water," he said.
He revealed the biggest challenge of making the animated feature was using special effects to evoke feelings and emotions.
"Fire and water elements were a big trick for us. When Wade is boiling, does that feel like goosebumps? When Ember's light goes like a candle, it feels so fragile and vulnerable because you can blow the flame away. These made us feel like we could connect to the elements. That became the priority in the storytelling," he said.
"Elemental," the closing film of this year's Cannes Film Festival, will hit local theaters on June 14.
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