The Children and the Bear (1959)
Filed under: Animation, 1950s, Color, Propaganda, Toei Animation Studio,
The Children and the Bear
Directed by: Producers:Payut Ngaokrachang
United States Information Agency
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO)
Animated by:Payut Ngaokrachang
Yasuo Otsuka
Studio:Toei Animation
Release date:1959
Running time:14 min
Color process:Colour
Synopsis
An anti-communist allegory about a bear (meant to represent Russia) that escapes from his keeper. The bear encounters a group of children, consuming several of them. The remaining children (representing Southeast Asian countries) join together and scare the bear away.
The film was animated by Payut Ngaokrachang during his time on scholarship in Japan at Toei Animation. Ngaokrachang gained the attention of the United States Information Agency (USIA) after his 1955 animated short Amazing Incidents. Ngaokrachang and the USIA produced this film for the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO).
References:
Dudok de Wit, Alex. “Yasuo Otsuka, Influential Japanese Animator and Mentor, Dies at 89.” Cartoon Brew, 19 Mar. 2021, https://www.cartoonbrew.com/rip/yasuo-otsuka-influential-japanese-animator-and-mentor-dies-at-89-203132.html.
Internet Archive. “The Children and the Bear : United States Information Agency.” Internet Archive, https://archive.org/details/306-4995.
Thai Film Archive. “Payut Ngao-Krachang, Father of Thai Animation.” Google Arts & Culture, https://artsandculture.google.com/story/payut-ngao-krachang-father-of-thai-animation-thai-film-archive/sAXhQtVXnGgZWQ?hl=en.