Trini's store in blockbuster movie

Ramroop-Gutfleisch, originally from Felicity, Chaguanas, did not think in her wildest dream that she would be part and parcel of a fairytale.

Twenty years ago her husband, Hartmut came to Trinidad for a short visit. He saw her, they talked, they fell in love and in six weeks time they got married and left for Neuberg, Germany, close to Frankfurt. While in Trinidad, Ramroop-Gutfleisch worked in banking and she continued to do so in Germany — the place she now calls home.

Eight years into her blissful marriage, Ramroop-Gutfleisch paid a visit to Estonia and upon her return brought a present - a wooden truck for her husband. Hartmut was totally amazed by his unique gift and decided to go to Estonia to meet with the manufacturer of the toy. After discussions and upon his return to his homeland, Hartmut and his wife began the wooden toy business as a hobby.

Fortunately for them, the unique and awesome toys were so well accepted and loved by parents and children throughout Germany that their clientele grew until the “hobby” evolved into a full fledged toy business in 1995.

“Initially, our intention was to produce at a reasonable price, exquisite carved wooden articles in only small quantity for the neighbouring towns. At the beginning, we participated in local toy markets around the Frankfurt area. This bought an attractive feed-back from the private sector,” Hartmut said.

“To our surprise, we were often contacted by wholesale dealers and then around Christmas `95 we had quite a number of orders from wholesalers,” he added.

In 1996, the Gutfleisch’s changed course and directed their endeavours solely for the commercial market and started to create and promote their own designs - exquisitely carved and reasonably priced wooden toys in small quantities became the key to our success. In the meantime, we are proud to have customers throughout Europe and the United States.

Little did they know that their toy store, Estia Holzspielwaren, would one day be featured in a children’s film shown throughout the world.

Keeping in mind that Hartmut was a lover of toys, toy fairs became a highlight for him. A few years ago he participated in a toy fair in Canada and it was there that the producers of Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium met with him and saw his exquisite display of wooden toys of all different shapes and sizes. Life went on as usual for Hartmut and his wife until several months later when they were contacted by the producers, who asked to use the toy store and their toys as the main attraction for the movie.

Being the humble couple they are, the Gutfleisch’s preferred that no royalties be given to them and offered the producers the use of their store and its items free of charge, with one exception that is, for its name to be highlighted in the movie.

During the filming of the movie and even after its release there was a significant increase, in the already much demanded toys — moreso, this Christmas.

The movie which was released in Europe two weeks ago and locally yesterday, has had a great impact with children.

It is a film about thinking beyond big corporations that actually follows its own advice. It’s a special-effects film that uses computer-aided visuals to help tell the story, not overwhelm it. At a time when some kids’ movies don’t even bother with a moral, this picture thoughtfully explores themes of fulfilling your potential, being an outcast and, most notably, death. The focus of the film is Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman), a child-prodigy pianist who can’t finish her first concerto. She works in a toy store with young Eric Applebaum (Zach Mills), a precocious kid who has trouble making friends. They both see what’s going on in their living-toy store, but the magic is lost on workaholic accountant Henry (Jason Bateman), who is mostly just annoyed by the enterprise’s lack of order.

Yesterday, the Women’s Organisation for the Underprivileged (WOUP), a registered non-profit organisation whose primary objective is to assist the less fortunate in our society, hosted a premiere of the movie at Caribbean Cinemas 8, Trincity, specially for the children from various institutions, homes and schools.