Happiness Day with the Smurfs

Yinka Olatunbosun

If the word “smurf” is not familiar to you, then you are absolutely missing out on something good. In celebrating the 2017 International Day of Happiness, the Silverbird Cinemas recently flung its doors open to children who were treated to tantalising ice-cream from Coldstone and a premiere of “Smurfs: The Lost Village”.

The 3D animation movie, “The Smurfs”, produced by Sony Pictures Animation, was first released in 2011. It is the story of the smurfs’ adventure in New York, how they got lost in the city and their collective attempt to get back home before the villain, Gargamel, got hold of them.
The sequels to this box-office hit are “Smurfs 2: A Christmas Carol” and “Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow”. The latest sequel titled, “Smurfs: The Lost Village” which was screened for the first time in Lagos at the Silverbird Cinemas, Victoria Island, Lagos came as a prelude to the celebrations marking the day set aside by the United Nations for celebrating happiness.

Since June 28, 2012, all 193 member states unanimously adopted the resolution to proclaim March 20 as Happiness Day. The resolution was founded on the recognition of the pursuit of happiness as a human right and a fundamental human goal. Founded by Jayme Illien, the day had been celebrated by global cultural icons such as American rapper, singer-songwriter, Pharrel Williams whose award-winning song, “Happy” was a landmark global campaign for happiness to be recognised globally as a birthright.

Back to the cinemas, the central character in “Smurfs: The Lost Village”, Smurfette, played by Demi Levato gives a feministic theme to the smurfs’ new sequel. Smurfette embarks on a journey with her best friends, Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty to find the lost village before Gargamel does. Her kind heartedness puts her friends in jeopardy as they move against the evil spell of Gargamel. But the strength of the lost smurfs provides inspiration to the vulnerable.

The Marketing Executive Silverbird Film distribution Limited for West Africa, Mrs. Elwoma Luther-Abegunde said the event was the blue carpet for the Smurfs movie.

“We have also been encouraging people to spread happiness whichever way you can. We are happy to have partners such as Coldstone, Domino Pizza, and Nickolodeon,” she said.

She admitted that judging what gives people happiness can be tricky. “Happiness is relative”, she argued. “It is not something that can be bought with money. For some people what can bring them happiness is different from others. At the end of the day, happiness is a state of the mind. You can have all the money and still not be happy.”