A decade-plus-old short animation film about a stubborn Greek donkey continues its viral streak on social media.
“Mariza the Stubborn Donkey” is a funny short 3d animated film that Constantine Krystallis created in 2008 for the Master’s of Animation course he took in the animation school of the University of Technology Sydney. The process took eight months from start to finish.
After a year of making its run in the festival circuit, Krystallis decided to post it online for anyone to see. Little did he know that Mariza would become world famous.
More than a decade after he posted it to YouTube, the 4-minute film has been viewed more than 26 million times.
The film won distinction at festivals throughout the world, including the audience award at the Athens Animfest in 2009 and the Best Animated Film and Best Animation Audience Award at the Naoussa International Film Festival, also in 2009. The film was also an official selection at the Nickelodeon Animation Festival.
Its universal message not only captivated the audiences at festivals and the millions of viewers, but the creator himself.
“I felt like I have been complaining too much about Greece and had failed to see all the great things it had offered me and so many other people. I got a new perspective once I lived in a different culture for a while and decided that I had to make amends. This film was a tribute to the beautiful country of Greece, my homeland, which holds a special place in my heart since then… despite it’s many flaws,” Krystallis said on the film’s website.
The website also contains a host of activities for kids, including downloadable coloring pages and even origami instructions to create a donkey, a fishing boat and a fish with folded paper.
Before you watch the film… Did you know that donkey milk is packed with nutrients and is anti-inflammatory and hypoallergenic and has many benefits from its vitamins and probiotics. Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates was the first to write about the medicinal virtues of donkey milk, and prescribed it as a cure for a diverse range of ailments, including liver problems, infectious diseases, fevers, nose bleeds, poisoning, joint pains, and wounds. The Greek queen Cleopatra famously bathed in it to preserve her legendary beauty, Now more than 2000 years later donkey milk continues to be a favorite in various high-end beauty products and is considered a superfood.
Watch Mariza The Stubborn Donkey by Constantine Krystallis
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