Knock on Wood

If you’re looking for new outlets for checking out films, this article series is a perfect way to seek out new channels to dive into. For this edition, I highlight some of the films premiering at France’s 7th Annual Animation First Film Festival!

Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Wings

Benoit Chieux crafts a brand new fantasy adventure in Sirocco that will whisk children and adults away in equal measure. The film is designed and rendered in beautiful animation that relies on strong and vibrant colors to create a nice balance of symmetrical visuals and abstract shapes. This magical world has wonderfully fun and engaging character designs from anthropomorphic animals to witches (all with their own unique spin). But there is plenty of heart in this film as well: two young girls get lost in the books of the women watching them. They are brought into this world by a fun living toy and embark on a journey of self-discovery. They must find each other as they navigate this wondrous world and must overcome a sense of fear and confront the terrifying Sirocco and their commanding control of the wind. This is a classic tale of fantasy that has the right amount of visuals and the right amount of soul. 

The Sacred Cave 

Authenticity is what made films like Black Panther such a massive success. When you represent a population in such a meaningful and impactful way, you can truly strike a nerve and inspire a group of people. Daniel Minlo and Cyrille Masso can transport their audience into a village in the forests of Africa where you can get lost in its impressive visuals and culture. The animation has such a richness to its colors with its bold shades (being true to its African roots). The characters have a distinct feel that makes the film feel like a singular experience. The music and design are so authentically African that it brings the kingdom of Mabunos to life in such an engrossing way. We travel with two characters as they grow a connection through their fantastical journey to the titular cave to find an antidote for their poisoned king. The concoction is not always smooth but this mixture of thrills, fantasy/adventure, and romance delivers a worthwhile and informative journey into a new world and culture. 

When Adam Changes

What is the best way to portray a coming-of-age story? Make it awkward and weird! That is exactly what growing up is like (for many people), especially in middle school and high school. You can tell Joel Vaudreuil fully grasps that in the way he brings his latest animated feature, When Adam Changes, to life. The animation style itself is weird and off-putting. You get a bit of a Mike Judge, hand-drawn vibe…but weirder…and more grotesque. This is perfectly fitting to the horrific spiral of a journey that our awkward and disconnected protagonist, Adam, goes on. Adam is made to look attractive and repellent in all conceivable societal ways which makes it even more heartbreaking as you follow him on his experience being shunned by family, classmates, and potential love interests. Woven together like a series of vignettes like many coming-of-age stories, When Adam Changes takes the audience on a bumpy ride of adolescent highlights from parties to the last day of school to even a family funeral (which couldn’t get more awkward). This being French, the film never shies away from presenting the terribly awkward truths of loneliness and sexual exploration. The story is relatable in so many ways, but the presentation is bold enough to keep it surreal, engaging, and unique. Not every sequence feels as essential as others but this film takes audiences on a much-needed dive into this familiar human experience.

Mars Express 

What kind of bold and adventurous science fiction adventure does director Jeremie Perin take his audience on with Mars Express? This new sci-fi animation film comes in the long tradition of challenging and dynamic sci-fi animation that Akira and Ghost in the Shell set the bar for in the late 1980s into the mid-1990s. The animation is impressive, as it mixes beautiful and rich colors with a sleek futuristic world that comes to life in vibrant ways. Perin is sure to leverage this medium and capture some eye-popping sequences that will surely leave his audience in awe of what they experience. But there is a strong murder mystery at its core, draped in politics and power struggles. But the biggest defining force of this film is the humanistic approach to its themes. The characters, especially our human/android paired duo, anchor the narrative and themes. Perin makes sure to dedicate the right amount of time to expand and open up these characters to find their humanity (even if some of them naturally do not possess that distinction). But what makes this genre-bending ride so impactful is the ever-timely look at artificial intelligence and how humans engage with this ever-evolving specter. This film boldly tackles enormous ideas and themes for which it mostly delivers.

Nina and the Hedgehog’s Secret

Good fantasy is traditionally made better when there are real human stakes in the story that we can connect with. A child seeing their parents suffer after losing their job…that is real. Nina and the Hedgehog’s Secret is a wonderfully realized little animated film that can manage quite a few layers along the way. The characters have a distinct painted feel that fits well in the richly colorful and textured world around them. We get gleams of fun fantasy with the storybook tales of the adorable titular hedgehog. There is real weight in the way this film does not sugarcoat the injustices in the world and the frustrations some people must endure as the fall people for those who want to commit evil. Then there is a nice helping of thrills as our protagonist, Nina, and her friend taking the investigation into their own hands. An animated film that could have easily kept things fun and silly takes things into a more mature direction and respects its younger audience by offering a respectful little thriller (with mysterious and effective music as well). You feel the real struggle of this family and the fiery spirit of a young woman determined to right the wrong that hurt her father. Nina and the Hedgehog’s Secret is an inspiring and engaging little film with strikingly beautiful animation.