By Kristina Moskalenko
Carlos Saldanha, the Brazilian filmmaker behind animated hits Ice Age and Rio, speaks to Gazeta.Ru about his latest project — Ferdinand, a heartwarming animated film that champions kindness over violence. The director opens up about the evolving world of animation, the message of tolerance at the core of the story, Spain’s controversial bullfighting culture, and the surprising inspiration he drew from his own father.
Based on the beloved 1936 children’s book The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, Ferdinand tells the tale of a bull born and raised for the bullring — but whose gentle nature sets him apart. Adopted by a loving family, Ferdinand grows up preferring flowers to fighting. When he’s forced back into the arena, he makes a radical choice: to stand his ground without violence, refusing to fight the matador despite the jeers of the crowd.
Originally written for Leaf’s friend and illustrator Robert Lawson, The Story of Ferdinand quickly became a publishing sensation. In 1938, it outsold Gone with the Wind in the United States and has since been translated into over 60 languages. It remains a staple of children’s literature and is frequently listed among the top 100 children’s books of all time.
In bringing Ferdinand to the screen, Saldanha blends vibrant visuals with a message more timely than ever: that true strength lies in staying true to yourself — even when the world expects aggression.
Kristina Moskalenko: Do you remember the first time you came across The Story of Ferdinand?
Carlos Saldanha: I grew up in Brazil, and I remember watching the old Disney short from 1938 — Ferdinand the Bull — on TV a lot as a kid. So I knew the story early on, but I never actually saw the book growing up. I’d heard it had been translated into Portuguese, but it wasn’t something I came across in Rio. Then when I moved to the U.S., I found it and read it to my daughter as a bedtime story. That’s when it really stuck with me. There was just something about the message — this bull who chooses peace over violence — that stayed in my mind for years. I kept thinking: One day, I want to tell this story in my own way.
Kristina Moskalenko: Did you manage to find the edition with Robert Lawson’s original illustrations?
Carlos Saldanha: I did — those beautiful old ink drawings, almost like engravings. They’re very classic, but I wasn’t overly attached to the original illustrations, to be honest. Even though I’ve always loved drawing, it was the moral message that really spoke to me. That idea of being true to who you are — that’s what inspired the movie, more than anything visual. So, for the film we created a very different visual world. The only element we kept as a direct nod to the book was the bridge — the one you see when Ferdinand is taken from his farm to the bullring. That bridge is real, in Ronda, Spain, and it appears in both the book and our version.
Kristina Moskalenko: What was it about Ferdinand himself that felt so personal for you?
Carlos Saldanha: My dad played American football — really well, actually. In school, on teams, then the military — he had this whole world of camaraderie and sports. So when I came along, everyone assumed I’d follow the same path. My first gift as a baby? A football. Every birthday after that? More footballs. Coaches at school would literally run up to me thinking I’d be the next star player.
But the truth was — I didn’t have that in me. I tried, I really did, but it didn’t work. What I loved was drawing. Ever since I was four, I’d been sketching, painting — I loved telling stories through art. Eventually, I had to tell my dad that I didn’t want to play football. And that’s what made Ferdinand’s story feel so personal. He’s expected to be something he’s not. He’s strong, he’s built for the ring — but that’s not who he is inside. And he has the courage to say no.
Kristina Moskalenko: That’s a powerful connection. When you first read the story to your kids, how did they react?
Carlos Saldanha: We had great conversations about it. I remember saying things like, “Look — Ferdinand doesn’t want to fight. He doesn’t like violence, and that’s totally okay.” Or, “Sure, he’s big and strong, and could totally win if he wanted — but he chooses not to fight. That’s also okay.” What I loved most was showing them that strength isn’t just about physical power. It’s about making choices. Ferdinand could’ve charged at the matador. But he didn’t. Not because he was afraid — but because he knew that wasn’t who he was. A lot of kids ask me, “Why didn’t the bull fight?” And I tell them: “Because he didn’t have to. He had the power to choose.” That’s the real heart of the story.
Kristina Moskalenko: The book was written in the 1930s, but bullfighting is still a controversial subject in Spain today. What’s your perspective on the tradition?
Carlos Saldanha: It’s a sensitive topic, for sure. But Ferdinand isn’t a film about bullfighting. Yes, there’s a bull, a matador, a ring — but that’s just the setting. What we’re really talking about is choice, identity, and empathy. It’s not a movie about animal rights or protesting tradition. It’s about a character who doesn’t want to be defined by how he looks or what others expect him to be. By the end of the film, even the matador accepts him. That was important to me. There are no heroes or villains here — just individuals learning to understand each other. That’s the message I wanted to share.
Kristina Moskalenko: So in this story, unlike in traditional fairy tales, there’s no “bad guy” — just different points of view?
Carlos Saldanha: Exactly. This is about self-awareness, not defeating evil. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn’t make them the enemy. They just have a different perspective. And that’s okay. I really wanted to create a film that inspires people — especially kids — to think about kindness, strength, and being true to themselves. That’s why we were so excited when John Cena joined us to voice Ferdinand. He’s this big, strong guy, but he has such a gentle heart. He brought that perfect balance of strength and softness to the character. He is a gentle giant — just like Ferdinand.
Kristina Moskalenko: Most of your films center on animals rather than people. Is that a conscious choice?
Carlos Saldanha: Not really — it just sort of happens that way! When I sketch freely, I draw whatever’s on my mind. But when I’m deep into a project — like Rio, for example — I end up drawing a lot of birds. With Ferdinand, it was flowers.
Kristina Moskalenko: Speaking of flowers — in the beginning of Ferdinand, there’s a dandelion he carefully tends to. But it’s not yellow — it’s red. Everything else in the film looks pretty realistic. Why that one change?
Carlos Saldanha: Ah yes — the red dandelion! So, there’s actually an orange wildflower variety in Spain, but not quite as vibrant as the one we used. I just felt that red, especially in the context of bullfighting, carries a certain symbolic weight. And in our film, it shows up at key emotional moments. The decision came to me literally a few minutes before we locked picture. I turned to my art director and said, “I want a red dandelion.” He nearly lost his mind! [laughs] The flower had been yellow throughout production, and no one had questioned it. Suddenly he was like, “What?! Nooo!” But it was too late. We had to go back and recolour it in every frame. But it was worth it — the color gave that tiny flower an extra layer of meaning. And beyond that, we wanted the nature in the film to reflect the full potential of modern animation. Not in a flashy or overly digital way — but in a way that feels painterly, inspired by real light, texture, and the beauty of Spain.
Kristina Moskalenko: You actually traveled to Spain to study the light and landscape. What left the biggest impression on you?
Carlos Saldanha: I’ve been to Spain many times, and I always come back inspired. I love the palette — those earthy, clay tones, the dry vegetation, the dusty reds and oranges. And of course, the history. I live in the U.S., but I love traveling through Europe for that sense of time — how ancient and modern exist side by side.
Madrid is this vibrant, cosmopolitan capital, and just outside you find these little medieval towns with windmills and castles that feel like they jumped straight out of Don Quixote. But the biggest source of inspiration? The people. Warm, kind, welcoming — and the food is amazing!
Kristina Moskalenko: The people are warm, but bullfighting still hasn’t been banned. Do you see Spain as a tolerant country?
Carlos Saldanha: You know, I don’t want to pretend I fully understand the deeper cultural or political layers of that tradition. Tolerance is a complex, universal theme. And sadly, I think we’re seeing less of it around the world right now — not just in Spain, but in the U.S., France, Russia, everywhere. Love and fear are both part of human nature. But tolerance is something we can teach — in schools, families, and communities. Ferdinand isn’t just about Spain — it’s about society. How we see ourselves. How we treat difference. What happens when we allow space for empathy. Kids from different cultures can play together and instantly find a common language. And it’s beautiful.
Kristina Moskalenko: Visually, the animation in Ferdinand is stunning. What are the current trends you see in the animation world?
Carlos Saldanha: Today’s 3D animation can make almost anything look hyper-real. But realism isn’t always the goal. For me, the focus is on making something visually interesting — something that has its own soul and style. I try to create work that feels timeless. Not “trendy,” but classic — in the sense that you could watch it ten years from now and it would still hold up. That it won’t feel dated or like it belongs to some long-forgotten tech phase. Technology moves so fast — what looked cutting-edge fifteen years ago might seem outdated now. But when an animated film has a strong artistic voice, it can age like a painting. Like a good book from the 1930s — say, The Story of Ferdinand. That message? Still just as powerful today. And it will be just as relevant a decade from now.
Kristina Moskalenko: So… you’re saying bullfighting will never be banned?
Carlos Saldanha: [laughs] I’m saying classics never go out of style. That’s the real point.
Originally published in Gazeta newspaper in December, 2017: https://www.gazeta.ru/culture/2017/12/22/a_11516972.shtml
Articles on film, luxury lifestyle, culture and tech 
Leave a comment