A24’s forthcoming film, *The Legend of Ochi*, is poised to revive the allure of handcrafted fantasy narratives, with the studio unveiling a first-look featurette to highlight its enchantment.

The teaser kicks off with a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the film’s main character, Yuri (portrayed by Helena Zengel), zooming down a grocery store aisle in a shopping cart. On her back sits a small, golden-furred creature that brings to mind *Gremlins*. This being is one of the Ochi, a magical entity from Yuri’s homeland, the island of Carpathia, impressively brought to life through detailed puppetry.

“As we filmed, you could spot all five puppeteers around in ordinary clothes, and if you focused on the puppet, you’d think, ‘That’s a real living entity,'” shares writer-director Isaiah Saxon in the featurette.

The video offers an intimate look at the film’s breathtaking puppetry, showcasing an Ochi exoskeleton, while also hinting at Yuri’s extraordinary quest to reunite her Ochi friend with its mother.

“There is a gradual increase in the dial towards fantasy and magic as the film unfolds,” Saxon reveals. “As a child, I believed that nature held the deepest mysteries, and I aim to convey that same sense of limitless possibilities.”

*The Legend of Ochi* also stars Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, and Finn Wolfhard.

The film is scheduled to open in theaters on April 25.