Forest League (BRA) is an animation project that seeks to work with both environmental and social education, transforming the differences between them into co-existence.
After the murder of a tapir by unscrupulous hunters, an angry shaman evokes the sleeping spirits of the forest. He receives the mission of choosing new guardians for the land, to take care of humanity and the environment.
At a city school, children are chosen to assist in this mission and take the form of characters like Saci, Iara, Boto, Fulozinha and Curupira forming The League of Mata! An engaging adventure that brings Brazilian folklore back to the popular imagination.
We spoke with Sergio Kalili, the creator, director and producer of Forest League about the environmentally conscious series and the important message at the heart of it.
How long have you been working on your series?
Well, this project began in 2012 when I began thinking about a way to make children understand the huge problem surrounding environmental issues. Then the project came out with my first episode in 2016. It’s called “Danger from the sky”. It shows the problem of fire in the forest.
How important is the message/theme in your series?
After the first episode, I understood that the most important thing is to make not only children, but also adults understand how important is to make changes around the environment. We are all involved. The Indians, people who works on rural places and all the people in the big cities. Then we began to work also about social causes.
Forest League Trailer
Why did you decide on the web series format?
First of all, the internet is very impressive! We can show our art everywhere in the world. It’s really democratic but also very fast on response. If I wanted to put it on Broadcast TV, it would take much more money and a long time. In a few months, because of Youtube, the Rio Webfest team found me. And then I began to show “Forest League “to the world.
What are some of your inspirations for your series?
All my family. My parents are incredible, then my children. I believe we need to work hard to leave a better world to them.
For sure, working on social education is a pleasure.
What is the most interesting element of your series for the audience?
In the beginning, I thought it would be the characters. I transformed the Brazilian folklore characters as heroes. Now, I understand that it’s how children can see representation for them.
How did you decide the topics of each episode?
In the first episode, “Danger from the sky” , we talk about a very important party in Brazil. In June, there is a huge party all over the country where it’s popular to leave fire balloons to fly. It’s really very dangerous. It makes many problems as shown in the episode.
The second episode “Bees”, We talk about the dangerous problem with the extinction of the bees. It’s a huge problem not only in Brazil but everywhere including Australia.
What was your greatest challenge creating the series?
Before this, I did never write anything. This is my first. So I’m learning every day to write, to tell my people what I want them to draw and everything. It’s great!!
What is the future for your series?
There are many episodes already written, I only need to produce them. The next project we want to introduce the “ World League of Myth and Heroes”. This is one seeks to work with all myths around the world.
We also just began a co-production of its first season with Young Kang Man, from Seoul. He has his own project, called “Kimchi Warrior”. He joined the Forest League team to work against issues surrounding obesity, diseases and sedentarism.
FOLLOW FOREST LEAGUE