Postcard, Madrid: Animated film 'Wrinkles' deals honestly with old age

A retired bank manager in the early stages of Alzheimer's is sent by his only son to live in a retirement home. At his new residence, the gentlemanly Emilio shares a room with the unmarried, childless and mischievous Miguel.

The two elderly men become friends, even though the first time they meet, Miguel essentially cons some cash out of Emilio, whom he laughingly nicknames Rockefeller. The bond that develops between the roommates despite their different personalities and social backgrounds is the subject of Wrinkles, the Spanish entry in this year's European Union Film Festival in Hong Kong.

Wrinkles is an animated drama adapted from Paco Roca's Spanish National Comic Prize-winning graphic novel about old age. The first feature-length film from director Ignacio Ferreras - whose animated short, How to Cope with Death, is about an old woman battling the Grim Reaper - it movingly shows how even in one's twilight years, life does go on.

According to the World Health Organisation, the global population of people aged 60 and older will reach two billion - a fifth of the world's population - by 2050. Cinema seems to have responded to this demographic development by making more films featuring elderly characters in recent years. But while retirees have prominent parts in films such as Hayao Miyazaki's Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (2008) and Pixar Animation Studio's Up (2009), Wrinkles is the rare animated film that is almost entirely populated by aged folk. And for all its fanciful moments it doesn't shirk from showing that growing old also means growing infirm.

Featuring credible characters whose stories have an emotional kick, Wrinkles also has a distinct edge as exemplified by the loquacious Miguel's propensity for acerbic comments such as "Life sucks and then you die" and "Here there's only eating, s***ing and sleeping".

For all of his cynicism, Miguel turns out to be one of the few residents of the elderly care facility who doesn't resort to fantasy or memories of happier times to make it through the day.

He also movingly turns out to have a tender side, one that makes him a friend indeed when Emilio becomes truly in need.

Wrinkles, Sat, 9.50pm, Broadway Cinematheque, Mar 4, 9.50pm, Palace IFC. Part of the European Union Film Festival