Drawing from the style of animation gems Belleville Rendez-vous and Song of the Sea, here is the latest French animated storytelling wonder. Set in an alternate mid-20th century Paris, this is a world where for decades top scientists have disappeared, halting the discovery of key inventions in oil and electricity (even cinema!). The result is a Napoleonic France waging war against North America for the one resource that rules this steampunk world: wood.
Amidst the choking pollution is April (Marion Cotillard), a young scientist, and her talking cat companion Darwin (Philippe Katerine) who together set out in search of the truth after April’s parents go missing in mysterious circumstances.
Directors Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci have crafted a fine comparison (and companion) to Hayao Miyazaki’s masterful Princess Mononoke, with its indomitable female lead and environmental commentary. It is a fitting influence: where Miyazaki was inspired by European literature, Desmares and Ekinci have, in turn, been influenced by the Japanese master. Should it transpire that Studio Ghibli has ended its output, April and the Extraordinary World is a spectacular torchbearer for fans of intelligent animation for all ages.
