April And The Extraordinary World (CinefestOZ Film Festival)

August 16, 2016

In Festival, Review by Cara NashLeave a Comment

“Rich in depth of character and imagination…”
John Noonan
Year: 2015
Rating: NA
Director: Christian Desmares, Franck Ekinci
Cast:

Marion Cotillard, Philippe Katerine, Jean Rochefort

Distributor: The CineFest Oz Film Festival
Released: Screening August 28
Running Time: 105 minutes
Worth: $18.00

FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth

Rich in depth of character and imagination…

Time for an alternate history lesson. The year is 1931 and France is under the rule of Napoleon IV. Scientific discovery is in arrested development as the last ten years have seen scientists disappearing without a trace. With no new technological advancements being made, France, and indeed the world, has fallen back on steam power fuelled by charcoal to run things. Yes, everyone is covered in soot, but at least you can get from France to Germany in a little under 85 hours now.

In this world hides April (Marion Cotillard), a young woman secretly continuing the work of her late scientist parents. Her only companion is her talking cat, Darwin (Phillipe Katerine), the by-product of one of her parents’ earlier experiments. When the very thing that took her loved one – an ominous glowing cloud – comes after her, April finds herself on a journey of discovery ala Herge’s Tin Tin.

Based on the graphic novel by Jacque Tardi, April And The Extraordinary World carries with it an environmentalist message that highlights the futility of war, without being the least bit preachy. Refreshingly, April is an animated heroine fuelled by curiosity and discovery, who tries to find a way that’s free of violence to take her from A to B. Not reliant on pop culture references, the film’s humour comes from the characters’ reactions to increasingly absurd predicaments in an already crazy world. The animation, meanwhile, impresses with its detail and fluidity. Directed by Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci, April And The Extraordinary World is a heart-warming animation that’s fit to burst with all the joy that it brings. Rich in depth of character and imagination, you would be hard pushed to find a person not leaving the film with the broadest of smiles illuminating their face.

April And The Extraordinary World plays at The CinefestOZ Film Festival, which runs from August 24-28. To buy tickets to April And The Extraordinary World, head to the official site.

Share:

Leave a Comment