A symbol of the Galapagos Islands, in Ecuador, comes to life in Georgea 3D animated short film, written and directed by the Ecuadorian Dorian Cambi. Lonely George, the last of his kind Geochelone abingdonipassed away on June 24, 2012, when he was between 120 and 130 years old. He left no progeny.

His stuffed body was on display at the Museum of Natural History in New York for five years, and he returned to the Galapagos to live permanently in the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center, in Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz).

Genome of Lonesome George from Galapagos provides clues to longevity

But in Georgethe turtle lives again and we see from his perspective all the changes he has seen on his home island for over a century. In 1971, a scientist studying snails there noticed the lone turtle on Pinta.

Attempts to find a female of the same species were unsuccessful and George died living up to his nickname, the Lonesome.

Who is Dorian Cambi, director of George?

Cambi is a writer and director of narrative and commercial films based in New York and Ecuador. He has led projects such as the short ramona (2015), Alex, listen to your heart (HBO, 2018) and the official video for the theme smiling fitby the Colombian band Aterciopelados.

He has a Master of Fine Arts, specializing in directing and film scripts, from Columbia University in New York and his project Georgewhich he hopes to release later this year is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, was the winner of the competitive funds of the Institute for the Promotion of Creativity and Innovation, and a 2021 semifinalist for the Screencraft Film Fund. His goal is to qualify for his category at the Oscars.

Lonely George inspires new story in illustrated book by Verónica Coello Game

The animation was in charge of another Ecuadorian, the digital artist Andrés Montesinosa frequent collaborator of Cambi and creator of the great journey, the first video game made in Ecuador about indigenous cultures and their mythologies.

“I felt it was my responsibility to save George’s memory,” Cambi said of his work. “It was my first time directing an animated film. The movie was created with the 3D tool in real time Unreal Enginewhich is promoted as the most open and advanced in the world.