Popular author Trevor Żahra was speechless the first time he watched his character Qrempuċu come to life on the big screen.

The animated version of the mouse which he created 30 years ago could have come straight out of a film by animation giant Pixar, he said.

“As soon as I saw the work, I knew the producers meant business. I thought I was watching a movie by a Hollywood studio. That’s how good the product is.”

The short 3D film Qrempuċu, inspired by the story of an adventurous mouse by the same name published in 1985, will be screened in local cinemas from tomorrow, before the Disney film The Good Dinosaur. The short will serve as a preview to the whole film, which is still in production.

When the author, who has penned countless stories for adults and children, was approached two years ago by Mark Caruana and Nicholas Caruana, of Fat Lady Productions, he did not think much of the idea. His go-ahead for a big-screen adaptation was only half-hearted.

“It’s not the first time that someone has approached me asking to turn one of my books into a film. Most of the time, I just say yes and don’t expect anything to happen.”

Mr Żahra was convinced nothing would actually materialise and he insisted the producers work on the screenplay themselves. Only when they sent in their material did the author realise this was the real deal.

Seeing a character which he illustrated himself years ago being worked on by someone else was very exciting, he said, jokingly adding that he thought the new sketches were even better than his.

Mr Żahra urged audiences to look out for the Maltese landscape, as this was something never before seen in animated films. Those who grew up reading Qrempuċu’s story, he said, would also appreciate the attention given to detail to make the beloved character that much more realistic.

I thought I was watching a move by a Hollywood studio. That’s how good the product is

Acknowledging that works tend to change when going through different media, the author said the way the producers had transformed the story and its characters was very professional and would not disappoint fans.

The producers explained that change was inevitable when adapting a work of literature into the film medium.

“Literal adaptations do not work, not because the story in itself lacks anything, but because we’re now using a different medium,” Mark Caruana said. The idea to turn Mr Żahra’s book into a film came to the young brothers as they brainstormed concepts for new projects.

“The story had a very good basis to be developed into a motion picture because of its interesting characters and the story itself,” Mr Caruana said.

All aspects of production are carried out by just he and his brother, he said, which could at times be quite difficult.

“Usually, movies like these would have everything organised in departments, each handling different aspects of production. In our case, we only have two departments made up of my brother and me,” he said.

The production company was set up in 2012 and has since received funding for Qrempuċu from the Malta Film Fund.

The brothers plan to release the final version in a few years’ time.