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The new animation movie produced by Gertie
“I’m one of those millions of children who are suffering in Pakistan from bonded labor and child labor. But I’m lucky that due to the efforts of the Bonded Labor Liberation Front (BLLF), I go out in freedom and I'm standing in front of you today. … Children need a pen rather than instruments of child labor. …”

That is an extract from the speech held in Boston by Iqbal Masih, a boy who became the symbol of the fight against child labour. A determined boy, Iqbal was forced to work in a rug factory from the age of 4, and he started his fight for children’s right and freedom at only 9, when he became aware of his rights. Under the protection of the lawyer Eshan Ullah Khan, he travelled the world to denounce the shame of the bonded child labour.

“Fearless child. Dedicated to Iqbal” is the animation film co-produced by Gertie, the company managed by Franco Serra and Fulvia Serra and directed by Michel Fuzellier and Babak Payami, loosely based on the bestseller “Storia di Iqbal” by Francesco D’Adamo.

It is not the real story of Iqbal, but a feature film dedicated to him and to "all the Iqbal around the world", set in an imagery country where children are subjected to forced labor: child labor is not only a problem of the so called "third world."

"Fearless child. Dedicated to Iqbal" tells a positive story throwing a message to all exploited and abused children: rising up is not only possible but also mandatory, provided that you play all together the game, with creativity and friendship.
The adventure of Iqbal starts the day when the doctor prescribes some expensive medicines for Aziz, who suffers from pneumonia. Because there is no money, Iqbal decides to go to the market in Mapur to sell some of his beloved little goat.
In Mapur he meets Hakeem, a treacherous but kind swindler, who offers to buy the medicines for Aziz: in return Iqbal will have to work in his friend Guzman’s rugs factory. How long will Iqbal have to work? We don’t know the answer.
When Iqbal comes to understand that his debt will never, ever be paid off, he starts planning a way to set himself and his friends free and go back home…

The film offers the young audience a cause for reflection, telling the truth without disturbing them.

Produced by Gertie srl , 2d3D Animantions and Montparnasse productions, the script is by Paolo Bonaldi, Lara Fremder, Michel Fuzellier and Babak Payami. Franco Serra and Malika Brahmi are the executive Producers, Patrizio Fariselli the musician, Michel Fuzellier and Chiara Molinari the authors of the characters.
Characters are first modeled using 3D and then rendered in 2D, obtaining the same softer effect of traditional animation but taking all the advantages of new technologies.

The movie is the main part of a big trans-media project about children labor and consequent early school leaving.
Many side-projects will be developed for different media: from art to new media through games and education. The Fearless Child project is developed in partnership with international institutions, among which UNICEF, ALMED Alta Scuola in Media Comunicazione e Spettacolo dell Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, CGIL, ANPI, COOPLiguria, NovaCOOP, COOPLombardia and Smemoranda. The aim is making everyone aware of the huge social topics that the movie deals with.