British composer Stuart Hancock’s most recent work on the animated epic KENSUKE’S KINGDOM Kensuke’s Kingdom helps establish the children’s book adaptation as one of the year’s most sweeping and heartfelt stories. The film is a good old-fashioned adventure rendered in gorgeous hand-drawn 2D animation with a voice cast that includes Sally Hawkins, Cillian Murphy, and Ken Watanabe.

The story concerns a boy who is swept overboard during a storm on a worldwide sailing trip with his family and washes ashore on an island in the Pacific Ocean. While there, he realises someone is nearby, aiding him with his survival. The script for the film was by award-winning British scriptwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce based on the book by celebrated British author Sir Michael Morpurgo, who is most well-known for his book WAR HORSE, also adapted into an acclaimed film by Steven Spielberg.

In November 2024, Jason Drury had the pleasure of speaking with Stuart Hancock via Zoom from his home in Leighton Buzzard, England. During the conversation, they discussed his work on KENSUKE’S KINGDOM and the similarities and differences between scoring for commercials and narrative work. You’ll also hear numerous selections from KENSUKE’S KINGDOM.

Enjoy!

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