Tales of the Night

Colour, 35 mm
France, 2011, 84 min
Section: Horizons

Synopsis

Night after night, a girl, boy, and an elderly technician meet in an old-fashioned cinema in order to give free rein to their fantasies and gradually stage six fairy tales. The stories take place on various continents and, with an emphasis on tradition, wittily present battles for princesses and attempts to rescue kingdoms. Each romantic and adventurous tale contains a clear message, but they also brim with unmistakable humor, often breaking out of the fairytale mold. For example, why would a young man desire a princess and half the kingdom when his beloved awaits him at home and, on top of that, the kingdom in question is that of the dead? French animator Michel Ocelot combines traditional silhouette animation, made famous by Lotte Reiniger’s 1926 movie The Adventures of Prince Achmed, with modern technology (stereoscopic 3D). This magical film proves that animated figures needn’t use elaborate gestures in order for us to sympathize with them.

About the director

Michel Ocelot (b. 1943, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France) tried various styles in his early animated work, but soon opted for the cutout animation technique. His first professional picture, The 3 Inventors (Les trois inventeurs, 1979) won a BAFTA Award. For The Legend of the Poor Hunchback (La légende du pauvre bossu, 1982) he took a César for Best Animated Film. After numerous short films and television work, he wowed audiences with the feature animated movie Kirikou and the Sorceress (Kirikou et la sorcière, 1998). He has also made music videos, including "Earth Intruders” for Icelandic singer Björk. Ocelot, one of the most original animators working today, was president of ASIFA, the International Animated Film Association, in 1994-2000. He also contributes screenwriting talents to his films.