‘The tiger who came to tea’ is one of the biggest selling children’s books of all times. It tells the story of young Sophie who gets an unusual visitor at tea one day, a tiger. The uninvited guest comes into their home and ends up eating all the food in the house even drying out the water from the taps. The story ends with Sophie eagerly awaiting the tiger’s next visit. Born in pre-world war II Germany, Judith Kerr and her family move out of Berlin before the war. Their property is seized by the Nazis uprooting them out of their homeland. The end up settling down in London, where Judith makes a home for herself.
‘Tigress’ is a screenplay by writer Martin Keady. Martin bases ‘tigress’ on the remarkable story of Judith Kerr and her eventful life. He starts the story with young Judith, all of 8 years, staring out of the window looking at a catwalk down a wall. He builds the eternal bond between Judith and cats right from that moment on. He cleverly reminds us of this extraordinary bond right through the story of her life and even after. As the story passes through some of the most difficult times in human history, the narrative does not paint the screen with images of death and destruction. Like a cat that glides effortlessly through dangerous obstacles to come out the other side effortlessly and gracefully, so does Martin carry the story in kid gloves through these painful scenes from history.
‘Tigress’ is an ode to how some relationships are immortal. They start before the beginning of life and go beyond its end. For Judith who did not just want a cat, but wanted to be one, Martin realizes her childhood ambition. This ‘story behind the story’ is an inspiration for young minds to believe in the magical, and continue down the path their hearts lead them on.
