Sunburnt Unicorn

Not every boy wants to be the chosen one.

Frankie (voiced by Diana Kaarina) never wanted to go to the stupid desert anyway. He’d rather be at home, scribbling in his notepad, developing the stories he loves to tell. he wants to be a writer; he doesn’t care about the big opportunities his dad has planned for him in engineering. That’s how the argument in the car began; and now it has crashed, and he’s alone in the wreckage at the side of the road with a large shard of glass protruding from his forehead. Because of that shard, the ailing creature whom the car hit is gazing at him in awe. They think he’s a mythical beast, the magical unicorn.

“What does half a tortoise know about anything?”

He’s lucky that the tortoise (or what remains of them) is there – unless the whole experience is a concussion-induced hallucination, which is not outwith the bounds of possibility. Although he was angry with his dad, he does love him, and when he realises that he may be in trouble, he sets out to find him. Knowing nothing about the desert, though, he needs a guide. He also needs to learn how to listen – nothing here is quite what it appears, and his tendency to plunge feet first into everything risks getting him in serious danger.

There are some pretty dark themes here, around death and suffering and sacrifice. Frankie finds his previously unexamined notions of morality facing a challenge. This isn’t designed to cause upset but, rather, to get young viewers thinking about subjects they will have to deal with sooner or later. The reassuring philosophy of the tortoise provides some comfort, and our young hero gains a new appreciation of the comfortable circumstances in which he previously lived. He gradually gains better control over his emotions, recognising that this is a situation in which shouting and complaining won’t get him anywhere. In place of his previous bluster, he begins to develop real confidence – but will it be sufficient to see him through all the perils of the desert and enable him to complete his quest?

Against gorgeously designed and illuminated desert landscapes, director Nick Johnson’s quirky characters stand out, bold and three dimensional, like children’s toys accidentally dropped in a hostile place. Their bold colours and lively personalities reassure us that they will assert themselves regardless, and they’re fun to spend time with, despite the darker aspects of the tale. Frankie might be petulant but he’s very relatable, and there’s a good heart in there – even if he’s not a real unicorn.

The whole thing is scored by Inuit throat-singing duo Piqsiq (Tiffany Kuliktana Ayalik and Kayley Inuksuk Mackay), whose heavily textured vocalisations fit in perfectly with the landscape, especially as the scirocco coils across it, carrying whispers from all its strange inhabitants. It helps to make Sunburnt Unicorn something truly unique. Simple though its story may be, the film feels fresh and new, and will appeal to viewers of all ages. It’s beautiful to look at, packs in a lot of adventure, and delivers quite a few surprises en route.

Sunburnt Unicorn screened as part of the 2024 Fantasia International Film Festival.