An old but ever fresh story from famous poet, Nima Yooshij
Tooka in Cage
2D Animation / 13 min / Writer, Producer and Director
Based on a story by Nima Yooshij
About Nima Yooshij
Nima Yooshij (11 November 1895 – 4 January 1960), was an Iranian poet. He is famous for his style of poetry which he popularized, called “new poetry”, also known as “Nima poetry” in his honour after his death. He is considered as the father of modern Persian poetry. Tooka in a Cage is a story written by Nima, an Iranian poet, in May 1345.
Synopsis
Spring comes again, but Tooka the bird is still in a cage. His owner feeds him with seeds and water every day and expects him to sing loudly for him all day long. Tooka feels he’s getting weaker every day, but the desire for freedom becomes stronger in his heart. Tooka asks for other animals’ help to find out how to break out of the cage, but to no avail. Eventually though, he manages to open the cage and find his way to freedom with his own awareness and self-reliance.
Nima Youshij The Iranian poet
The cover of the book A Tooka in A Cage
Director’s Notes
25 years upon being written by Nima Yooshij, “Took in Cage” was published by the Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Adolescents as a comic book in 1971. By 2002, the book reached its 12th print edition. It sold more than 195000 copies in 30 years.
The sketching for ‘Tooka in Cage’ was done by Bahman Dadkhah in a special method and with a new technique. The method and technique still feel refreshing. Almost everyone who knows the story remembers Dadkhah’s imagery as well. The story and images are intertwined inseparably in this book. And that’s the result of the efforts of an eternal writer-poet and a skilful animator.
In the making of the animation ‘Tooka in Cage’, we owe a lot to Bahman Dadkhah. Reviewing the works of this grandmaster -due to the nature of this project- was a true blessing. We also owe Nosrat Karimi who lent his unique voice to the project. We hope that the short animation ‘Tooka in Cage’ becomes a part of the visual heritage of Nima’s works.
Credits
Writer & Director: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Executive Producer: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Background Designer: Hamidreza Beidaghi
Character Designer: Hamidreza Beidaghi
Environment Designer & Layout: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Animator: Samira Keshavarzi
Compositing: Saeed Hagh Zare, Samira keshavarzi
Narator: Nosrat Karimi
Composer: Amin Behrouz Zadeh
Sound Designer: Behrouz Shahamat
Production Company & Distributer: Children and Adolescents Intellectual Development Centre
Produced by Our Darkroom Film
Technical Info
Orginal Title: Tooka Dar Qhafas ( توکا در قفس )
English Title: Tooka in Cage
Running time: 13 minutes
Technique: Cutout animation
Genre: Narrative
Country: Iran
Language: Farsi
Release Date: July, 2012
Participated in Film Festivals
– 16th Iran Cinema Celebration – 2014 (Iran)
– 8th Tehran International animation festival – 2012 (Iran)
– 7th Varesh international film festival – 2012 (Iran)
– 26th Children and Youth International Film Festival – 2012 (Iran)
– 42th Roshd International film festival – 2012 (Iran)
– 29th Tehran international short film festival – 2012 (Iran)
Award
Best animation in 7th Varesh international film festival – 2012 (Iran)
Note for “Tooka in Cage”
Mehrdad Sheikhan / Iran Online – April 6, 2020
Characters Design
Other Concept and Sketches
An old but ever fresh story from famous poet, Nima Yooshij
Tooka in Cage
2D Animation / 13 min / Writer, Producer and Director
Based on a story by Nima Yooshij
About Nima Yooshij
Nima Yooshij (11 November 1895 – 4 January 1960), was an Iranian poet. He is famous for his style of poetry which he popularized, called “new poetry”, also known as “Nima poetry” in his honour after his death. He is considered as the father of modern Persian poetry. Tooka in a Cage is a story written by Nima, an Iranian poet, in May 1345.
Synopsis
Spring comes again, but Tooka the bird is still in a cage. His owner feeds him with seeds and water every day and expects him to sing loudly for him all day long. Tooka feels he’s getting weaker every day, but the desire for freedom becomes stronger in his heart. Tooka asks for other animals’ help to find out how to break out of the cage, but to no avail. Eventually though, he manages to open the cage and find his way to freedom with his own awareness and self-reliance.
– Nima Youshij The Iranian poet – The cover of the book A Tooka in A Cage
Director’s Notes
25 years upon being written by Nima Yooshij, “Took in Cage” was published by the Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Adolescents as a comic book in 1971. By 2002, the book reached its 12th print edition. It sold more than 195000 copies in 30 years.
The sketching for ‘Tooka in Cage’ was done by Bahman Dadkhah in a special method and with a new technique. The method and technique still feel refreshing. Almost everyone who knows the story remembers Dadkhah’s imagery as well. The story and images are intertwined inseparably in this book. And that’s the result of the efforts of an eternal writer-poet and a skilful animator.
In the making of the animation ‘Tooka in Cage’, we owe a lot to Bahman Dadkhah. Reviewing the works of this grandmaster -due to the nature of this project- was a true blessing. We also owe Nosrat Karimi who lent his unique voice to the project. We hope that the short animation ‘Tooka in Cage’ becomes a part of the visual heritage of Nima’s works.
Mehrdad Sheikhan – Iran Online – April 6, 2020
Credits
Writer & Director: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Executive Producer: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Background Designer: Hamidreza Beidaghi
Character Designer: Hamidreza Beidaghi
Environment Designer & Layout: Mehrdad Sheikhan
Animator: Samira Keshavarzi
Compositing: Saeed Hagh Zare, Samira keshavarzi
Narator: Nosrat Karimi
Composer: Amin Behrouz Zadeh
Sound Designer: Behrouz Shahamat
Production Company & Distributer: Children and Adolescents Intellectual Development Centre
Produced by Our Darkroom Film
Technical Info
Orginal Title: Tooka Dar Qhafas ( توکا در قفس )
English Title: Tooka in Cage
Running time: 13 minutes
Technique: Cutout animation
Genre: Narrative
Country: Iran
Language: Farsi
Release Date: July, 2012
Participated in Film Festivals
– 16th Iran Cinema Celebration – 2014 (Iran)
– 8th Tehran International animation festival – 2012 (Iran)
– 7th Varesh international film festival – 2012 (Iran)
– 26th Children and Youth International Film Festival – 2012 (Iran)
– 42th Roshd International film festival – 2012 (Iran)
– 29th Tehran international short film festival – 2012 (Iran)
Award
Best animation in 7th Varesh international film festival – 2012 (Iran)
Characters Design
Other Concept and Sketches