Hello Panda

HD Premiere, NYC Premiere

 

 

Benjamin Blaine's Director Statement

 

Funded by Film4 and the UK Film Council through their prestigious Cinema Extreme programme, Hallo Panda is an unromantic comedy about a man who has to wank off a talking panda.

The panda in question is voiced by rising star Benedict Wong (Dirty Pretty Things Tristram Shandy, Sunshine) with a physical performance created by Peter Elliott (Gorillas In The Mist, Greystoke, Were The Wildthings Were). The animatronic costume Peter wears was created for the film by Animated Extras, vastly improving on the original body they made for the Mighty Boosh. In marrying these three elements into one brilliant performance, Benny, Peter
and the team of puppeteers from Animated Extras have created not only an impressive visual effect, but most importantly, a delightful and memorable character.

Amid all of this technology it’s amazing to see how the brilliant central performance from Steven Beckingham pulls the audience along through the highs and lows of Mark, the put- upon Zoo Keeper charged with reviving the panda’s sex life. Receiving strong support from Neil Edmond (The Consultants) and long term Blaine collaborators Cariad Lloyd, Femi
Houghton and Lee Kern, it is Steven who really anchors the film as the alcoholic and love-lorn zoologist who’s own frustration leaves him as caged as the bear he looks after.

Hallo Panda, produced by Quinny Sacks and Barrington Paul Robinson for Charlie Productions is the longest, most adventurous, and last short film from Ben & Chris Blaine. With The Blaines, Barrington, director of photography Oli Russell and production designer Katie MacGregor all being touted as “Stars Of Tomorrow” by Screen International at the start of 2006, it’s clear that together, the whole of the Charlie Family have created a unique vision which is far too big for short films...."