Cannes 2003 - Cartoons

by Valentina Di Michele

23/05/2003 - Three great films presented on the Croisette. France and Denmark lead the field. Euro-animation gets international distribution

A common thread unites the three animated features presented in Cannes: international distribution. The Boy Who Wanted To Be a Bear screened in the Market, Araki, the killing of a Japanese photographer (Critics’ Week) and Les Triplettes de Belleville [+see also:
trailer
film profile], (out of competition) have entered an arena that was, up until recently, the exclusive domain of Japan and the US. Thanks to their long and consolidated tradition of producing children’s films, France and Denmark lead the field.
The Boy Who Wanted To Be A Bear by Jannik Hastrup, one of Scandinavia’s pre-eminent animation specialists, is about growing up. Hastrup makes a highly efficient use of the instruments at his disposal, including every colour in the rainbow. His film was distributed, amidst great difficulties, in France. “TV companies want animation at low prices: they are not intererested in quality. Buying US products at a tenth of the cost of a European film killed off our industry,” said Hastrup.
The Boy Who Wanted To Be A Bear is a Danish-French co-production by Dansk Tegnefilm and Les Armateurs with a Euros5m budget.
Sylvain Chomet’s directorial debut, Les Triplettes de Belleville, takes us on a nostalgic trip through French history during the 1950s using a highly sophisticated “retro” style.
Co-produced by France-Belgium and Canada, and particularly Les Armateurs, Vivi Film, Les Productions Champion, Rgp France and France 3 while Celluloid Dreams are handling international sales.
Araki, the killing of a Japanese photographer is Anders Morgenthaler’s graduation film from the National Film School of Denmark. He was clearly influenced by the spiky and sharp style and strong primary colours that gave 1970s animation such visual impact.
Produced by fellow graduate, David Østerbørg, Araki was made with financial support from the Danish Film Institute and the Danish Film School who is also handling its international sales.