‘Buffalo Kids’, inspired by the real-life relationship between Pedro Solís’ children, Alejandra and Nico

BUFFALO Kids is a 2024 Spanish animated adventure film directed by Pedro Solís and Juan Galocha.

Written by Jordi Gasull and Javier Barreira, the screenplay of Buffalo Kids is based on Pedro Solís’ short film Cuerdas, which is in turn inspired by the real-life relationship between Solís’ children, Alejandra and Nico (with Mary and Nick respectively being their alter egos in the film). The film is a 4Cats Pictures, Atresmedia Cine, Anangu Grup, Little Big Boy AIE, and Mogambo Productions production.

English voice cast: Alisha Weir as Mary, Conor MacNeill as Tom, Gemma Arterton as Elenor, Sean Bean as Outlaw Wilson and Stephen Graham as Uncle Niall.

Set in the 19th century, the plot follows the adventures of two orphaned Irish siblings (Tom and Mary) who emigrate to the United States to reunite with their uncle Niall in New York City. When Niall doesn’t show up at the docks, Tom and Mary set out to find him with the company of a stray dog, Sparky, sneaking on board a train with a group of orphans when they cannot afford a ticket.

During the journey, Mary befriends non-verbal paraplegic boy Nick, who is rejected from his initial possible family due to his disability. The orphans’ supervisor, Eleanor, learns of their circumstances and assures them she won’t give them away to the train staff.

When the train stops to refuel, Mary takes Nick off the train to touch the nearby buffalo, but the train departs without them on board as everyone else in the carriage was asleep. Tom is able to get a nearby cart in working order and travel after the train, but they find it deserted after an apparent Indian attack. The children have a close call with a pack of coyotes that leaves Tom with an injured leg, and when they stop to collect water they are captured by an Indian tribe. However, the tribe proves to be friendly, and affirms that they had nothing to do with the train attack.

Tom, Mary and Nick are eventually led to another group of white men, but these men turn out to be the bandits responsible for attacking the train, having taken the passengers as slave labour to work in a mine. When the children are reunited with the orphans and Eleanor, one of the other prisoners is revealed to be Tom and Mary’s uncle Niall, who was captured from another train.

Tom, Mary and Nick manage to escape the mine and contact a nearby fortress for help, as well as the Indian tribe. The two groups work together to stage an assault and rescue the prisoners before the bandits can destroy the now-depleted mine to cover up their actions. Niall, Tom and Mary agree to remain as a family, and Eleanor not only joins them but invites Nick to come along as well.

The film was also sold to Best Film (Poland), NOS Lusomundo (Portugal), The Film Group (Greece), MegaCom Film (former Yugoslavia), Filmhouse (Israel), Front Row Entertainment (Middle East), ARP Sélection (France) and Nathan Studios. (Philippines).

In PH cinemas nationwide February 12.

(ROHN ROMULO)