Snowflake, the White Gorilla (2011)

In order to fit in with the rest of the gorillas, Snowflake embarks on an exciting adventure to find a magical potion to make her a "normal gorilla".

Directors:

Andrés G. Schaer, Melanie Simka

Writers:

Amèlia Mora, Albert Val

Stars:

Claudia Abate, Joan Sullà, Pere Ponce

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Claudia Abate	...	Paula (as Clàudia Abate)
Joan Sullà	...	Leo
Pere Ponce	...	Luc de Sac
Elsa Pataky	...	Bruixa del Nord
Fèlix Pons	...	Daniel
Rosa Boladeras	...	Anna
Manel Fuentes	...	Ailur (voice)
Christopher Lloyd	...	Dr. Archibald Pepper (voice)
Kai Stroink	...	Floquet de Neu (voice) (as K. Stroink)
Núria Trifol	...	Ndengue (voice)
Ariana Grande	...	Snowflake (voice)
Constantino Romero	...	Ron (voice)
Mercè Comes	...	Àvia despistada
Pau Vinyals	...	Carter jove
José Luis Adserías	...	Treballador del zoo

Storyline

Snowflake (Ariana Grande) is special. She's the only white gorilla in the world, and the zoo's main attraction. Children love her, but the other gorillas, Petunia (Jennette McCurdy), Elvis (Nathan Kress), and Anvil (Keith David), don't, because she's different. With the help of an eccentric red panda named Jenga (David Spade), Snowflake plans a secret mission to sneak out of the zoo and venture into the dangerous city to find the witch at the circus who can help her become a "normal" gorilla. Will Snowflake find the cure she's looking for, or realize that there's something more important than fitting in, being true to yourself?

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Plot Keywords:

gorilla | zoo | witch | panda | barcelona spain | 

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Taglines:

Being different is a real adventure

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Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Family

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements and some mild rude humor

Did You Know?

Alternate Versions

UK version was cut for language to secure an 'U' rating.

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Soundtracks

One in a Million Girl
Performed by Dallas Lovato
Written by Mychal Simka & Stephane Deriau-Reine
Produced by Simka Entertainment

User Reviews

Fun adventures starred by Snowflake , full of spectacle , laughter , adventures and emotion

The film is quite amusing with emphasis on computer generator spectacle blending live action , though extremely sentimental and film direction by Andrés G. Schaer is passable . Family entertainment in which some of the sequences are too far-fetched , there are plot holes , and flaws , but the picture tourns out to be bemusing . Concerning the fun and funny adventures of a little gorilla , Snowflake , (voice by Ariana Grande) is special , but being different is a real adventure . She's the only white gorilla in the world , and the menagerie's main attraction. Children love her, but the other gorillas , Petunia (Jennette McCurdy), Elvis (Nathan Kress), and Anvil (Keith David), don't, because she's different. With the help of a weird red panda named Jenga (David Spade), Snowflake plans a secret mission to sneak out of the zoo . As Snowflake and Red Panda getaway and they are pursued by the malicious Luc de Sac (Pere Ponce) and helped by Bruixa del Nord (Elsa Pataky) . Along the way , there are two little romances : Snowflake and the male gorilla kid at the menagerie and the other between the scientific's daughter and a schoolmate with a crush on her. Will Snowflake find the cure she's looking for, or realize that there's something more important than fitting in, being true to yourself?

The movie is an enjoyable animation film but it is developed in fits and starts ; mixing live-action humans and backgrounds with animals in 3D . The film is made in computer generator , CGI , along with actual actors , outstanding Pere Pone as well as Elsa Pataky , and in which the legendary Gorilla named Snowflake takes an unexpected turn when he escapes from Barcelona Zoo and joins a sympathetic and moaning red panda and venture into the dangerous city to find the witch at the circus who can help her become a "normal" gorilla . The CGI is nowhere near excellent but it wasn't too bad either as the spectator quickly gets used to it . There are several silly scenes and a lot of action as when the likeable Snowflake and the eccentric Red Panda are relentlessly chased by the nasty Per Ponce to make experiments . The live-action shows also sightseeing , famous buildings, monuments and streets from Barcelona . Production by Julio Fernandez, ruling of Filmax Productions and Fantastic Factory is fine . He has become one of the most important producers of the country . Actually, the position of his organization responds fully to the opportunities of the European and international markets in the leisure sector, emphasizing on the fantastic genre, through Fantastic Factory and animation with Filmax Animation, to the global market on home video, television and also theatrically . He has produced successful cartoon films as ¨El Raton Perez I and II¨ or "The Hairy Tooth Fairy", ¨Gisaku¨ , ¨El Cid : the legend¨ also directed by Jose Pozo and ¨Goomer¨, among others . The idea behind the escaped Snowflake is creative and partially well executed and drew a few chuckles and laughter . The picture was professionally directed by Andres Schaer , who has written and directed and as Second Unit Director or Assistant Director on various family movies . He is a good producer and director, known for his work on Morko y Mali (2016), Copito de Nieve (2011) , El arca (2007) , Deuda (2004) and El ratón Pérez 2 (2008).

The picture is based on Snowflake or Copito de Nieve that was captured in the Rio Muni region in Equatorial Guinea on 1 October 1966 by ethnic Fang farmer Benito Mañé. Mañé had killed the rest of Snowflake's gorilla group (who were normal in colour). Mañé then kept Snowflake at his home for four days before transporting him to Bata, where he was purchased by primatologist Jordi Sabater . Snowflake (Spanish: Copito de Nieve; 1964 - 2003) was an albino western lowland gorilla. He was kept at Barcelona Zoo in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain from 1966 until his death. Originally named "Nfumu Ngui" in Fang language ("white gorilla") by his captor, he was then nicknamed "Copito de nieve" by his keeper . Snowflake was a western lowland gorilla with non-syndromic oculocutaneous albinism.He had poor vision, though tests to determine whether he had a central blind spot did not find one.Barcelona Zoo director Antonio Jonch wrote: "The eye had a blueish sclera, a normal cornea, and a light blue iris which was very transparent to transillumination. Accommodation and refraction were normal. The media were transparent and the fundus of the eye normal and totally depigmented. The choroidal vessels were perfectly visible and the pupil was normal. The animal displayed marked photophobia which caused it to close its eyes repeatedly when exposed to bright light. In diffuse light similar to that in its biotope, we calculated that it blinked on an average of 20 times a minute."Study of Snowflake's genome determined that his parents had 12% of their DNA in common, leading researchers to believe that his parents were uncle and niece. The same study revealed that his albinism was caused by a mutation of a peculiar gene. Snowflake received the recessive gene from both parents, causing his albinism. Snowflake fathered twenty-two offspring by three different mates, or "dams". Six of his offspring survived to adulthood. None of Snowflake's offspring were albino, but all should be heterozygous, recessive carriers, for the albino gene. Half of his grandchildren likely carry the albino gene. If both parents were albino gene carriers they have 25% chance of producing an albino offspring.As of May 2014, Snowflake had a total of 21 grandchildren (11 survived) and four great-grandchildren (all living).Snowflake's great-grandson N'Kou has pink fingers which is perhaps suggestive of partial albinism.In 2001, Snowflake was diagnosed with an unusual form of skin cancer, almost certainly related to his albinism. By 2003, Snowflake's health began to deteriorate. After he began losing interest in his usual activities, isolating himself from other gorillas and exhibiting signs of pain, Snowflake's keepers decided to euthanize him.The decision was publicly announced in September 2003.Thousands of people visited Snowflake at the Barcelona Zoo before he was euthanized on 24 November 2003. At the time of his death, Snowflake was thought to be between 38 and 40 years old .

Details

Official Sites:

official site (de) Official Website

Country:

Spain

Language:

Catalan English

Release Date:

September 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

Snowflake, the White Gorilla

Filming Locations:

Alella, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,776,616

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ajuntament de Barcelona, Axencia Galega das Industrias Culturais (AGADIC), BSM: Barcelona de Serveis Municipals

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color