The Three Wishes

Directed By:Production Company: National Film Board Of Canada www.nfb.ca and PMA Productions Incorporated.

Film By: Sheldon Cohen

Year of Release: 2006

Genre: Animation

Length: 3 minutes 57 seconds 

4 Stars 

Reviewed By: Kindah Mardam Bey 

The Three Wishes is a sweetly animated rendition of the traditional folk tale about a man, his wife and the three wishes they waste together. Folk Tales are funny creations, they have deep purpose and also seek to entertain, so too has the National Film Board Of Canada animated such a version of The Three Wishes. Koppel is a Yiddish immigrant junk collector in Canada, he takes a meat grinder home and it allows him three wishes; his first is to ask for a Kishke, a Jewish type of Haggis to eat. His wife Yetta is outraged at his first wish and wishes that the Kishke would attach itself to Koppel’s nose, which it does. It is up to Yetta and Koppel to decide on using their final wish for riches or for the Kishke to be removed from Koppel’s nose.  

This version of The Three Wishes is simply animated, delightfully sound-tracked by the group Beyond The Pale and well executed in its intent. The story discusses cultural identity, and themes of sharing and being grateful for what one has. As always, the NFB seems to find the best way to express our cultural stories and folk tales to be all inclusive, as is the case with The Three Wishes.In a time where animation seems synonymous with violence, NFB’s groundbreaking concept of entertaining the viewer and teaching at the same time would make this a great film to show in a classroom setting, or even a Sunday school session (of any denomination!). Currently, The Three Wishes is doing the film circuit and you can find out more about it on the NFB website www.nfb.ca.   

Director Sheldon Cohen, Animation Sheldon Cohen, Writer Aubrey Davis, Voice Paul Soles,Voice Linda Kash, Music Beyond The Pale, Animation assistance Luigi Allemano, Sound editing Luigi Allemano, Digital imaging Itsik Romano, Digital imaging consultation Susan Gourley, Off-line conform Jason Lee, On-line Denis Pilon, Re-recording Geoffrey Mitchell,Production coordination Jelena Popovic, Production assistance Jessica Kennedy, Administration Gisèle Guilbault, Administration Elaine Largie, Executive producer Kenneth Hirsch, Executive producer David Verrall, Producer Kenneth Hirsch, Producer Sheldon Cohen,Producer Marcy Page.