‘’It’s going to be extremely challenging,’’ Barrie told me, regarding his venture based around the book, The Heartstone Odyssey. ‘’But I like that challenge.’’
Originally from the US, film producer Barrie Osborne had flown over from France, where his latest film, The Great Gatsby, opened the Canne Film Festival. I welcomed him and his wife Carol, upon their arrival in London.
In the cab-ride to the hotel, he shared his excitement for transforming The Heartstone Odyssey book, published in 1988 by Arvan Kumar, pen name of photographer Nick Sidle, into a film trilogy – ‘’I like the story,’’ he said. ‘’I like the themes of better understanding between people.’’
The Heartstone Odyssey tells the tale of Chandra, an Indian dancer who becomes enthralled in a fantasy adventure across England, Scotland and India. Accompanied by her extraordinary mice friends she embarks on a quest in search of a magical Heartstone gem. Through her journey, the author challenges issues of intolerance between people – ‘’There’s just people round here that don’t seem to like anything foreign.’’
Hosting Barrie visit was Heartstone Director, Sitakumari – ‘’A story should appeal to the heart,’’ she says. ‘’You should be able to reach cross cultural and racial boundaries.’’
Our journey began at The Royal Observatory in Greenwich, where ‘’Chandra danced for the mice…whilst they all sat round the edge on the floor, on the window sills, on the ladders and even on the telescopes.’’ Gathering around the 8th largest refracting telescope in the world, situated inside the Observatory’s green dome, Barrie explored the logistics behind filming here, whilst passages from
Chandra’s adventure were recreated in our minds – ‘’this is the journey she took with the mice,’’ Sita explained. ‘’It’s all from reality.’’
Later venturing along the river Thames, and, eventually from the heights of the London Eye, we saw clear views of London’s significant landmarks – a taster of Hugbundle the mouse’s ‘’haunting’’ experience of London, as she journeyed over the ‘’silver and orange glow of the city’’ in pursuit of Chandra’s attackers.
Having explored part of Chandra’s adventure, our gathering brought together various ideas, and was an opportunity to embrace London’s heritage and celebrate the cross-cultural differences we each possessed. Made possible through The Heartstone Odyssey, our time together echoed Barrie’s initial sentiments of better understanding between people – ‘’The more people you work with, the more encyclopedic your knowledge.’’ Barrie then journeyed onto Scotland, where other chapters of the book were brought to life.
TheHeartstone Odyssey’s journey onto the big screen was now taking shape.
