THERE may be no scary monsters in Ireland but a rather friendly one from Germany – brought colourfully to life by Dublin native John Chambers – is making its way on to a big screen near you.
Molly Monster – "an epic adventure for a little monster" – went on general release in cinemas across Ireland and Britain last weekend and is specifically aimed at the pre-school age group.
The latest film from UK distribution company Enchanted Films, Molly Monster tells the story of a loveable monster called Molly and her adventures to Egg Island – the only place where baby monsters are able to hatch.
"In Monsterland, when the mothers lay their eggs, it is the father's job to keep them warm until it is time for the eggs to hatch," Chambers, a full-time cartoonist and screenwriter now based in Germany, explains. "So, when Molly finds out she is going to be having a new brother or sister, she knows her family are off on a trip.
"The only problem is that Molly is too young to join her parents on Egg Island, but she soon hatches a plan of her own and sets out on a solo journey to be reunited with her family..."
Described as a "charming piece of storytelling", Molly is already a household name in Germany where John brought Ted Sieger's "slightly uptight" little yellow monster to life in a 52-part television series. Last weekend's cinema debut, however, is her – and his – first big break into movie land in Ireland and Britain.
The script won Best German Screenplay Award at the International Animation Festival in Stuttgart prior to the film premiering to glowing reviews in Berlin where the writer and his family now live.
"It's really exciting to see Molly come to life on the big screen," he says, "and I hope the message of what it means to be a family will resonate with parents in Northern Ireland, as well as the young children who, thankfully, so far, seem to be captivated by Molly's adventures.
"When writing for this age group you have to be very aware of their attention span and how they understand a story – irony, for example, doesn't go down very well – but a strong message – in this case that you're never alone – is still important."
Originally taken from a children's picture book produced by his friend, the Swiss illustrator and writer Ted Sieger, Molly was brought to life in animated form with a little help from Chambers' unwitting children.
"I have three daughters, aged 14, 12 and 10, and at the recent premiere screening in Berlin, they were amused to see how situations they had found themselves in at home had made it into Molly's story on screen," he says.
"It might have been a particular look or reaction that I picked up from them, maybe a certain way they jumped from a chair, or a glance over the dinner table, but they recognised themselves in an abstract kind of way on the screen. They were there, in the movie, even though they weren't, and they loved that."
The TV-turned-movie scriptwriter, who is also responsible for Jasper the Penguin, The School for Little Vampires and Oscar the Balloonist, is currently writing an Irish-themed children's book based in early medieval Ireland and can't wait to get back home for a visit later in the year.
"I visit Ireland every year and it's always a source of inspiration," he adds. "There are three branches of the Chambers family – we are in counties Mayo, Clare and Antrim, so I love going home and meeting up with family and old friends.
"Unfortunately, my children don't quite see it the same way; they keep asking why they can't go to Thailand on holiday – 'like everyone else'."
: Molly Monster (U Certificate) is showing at cinemas across Northern Ireland; running time 72 minutes.
