USA Film Fest - Battle for Terra

Mala (Evan Rachel Wood) is a precocious girl living on the beautiful planet Terra, a place where peace and tolerance are celebrated. The Terrans’ idyllic lives are about to be disturbed by the last inhabitants of a dead planet — who have exhausted the resources of their own world and three others — who arrive at Terra searching for a new home. Their planned use of a terraforming device will make Terra habitable for their kind but inhospitable for Terrans. The twist: These invaders from space are humans! When the Earthlings embark on a hostile invasion of Terra, Mala’s father (Dennis Quaid) is kidnapped. Hoping to save him, Mala forges a friendship with an injured human pilot named Jim (Luke Wilson), and the two concoct a plan they hope will save both species. But peace will not be secured unless they can defeat the darker desires of sentient beings. Director Aristomenis Tsirbas paints a landscape of pastoral innocence and idyllic vistas and then colors it darkly with themes that are adult in nature but made accessible to younger audiences as well. The thrilling animated feature boasts a dream cast of voices (Brian Cox, James Garner, Danny Glover), cutting-edge CGI animation, along with a unique twist on the science fiction genre and a powerful, heartfelt message for all ages. 85 mins. Director Aristomenis Tsirbas in attendance.

Information from the festival's website