The French Magic - Ernest and Celestine

I was raised by the French tales. The first word I read was “Ave” from the comic book about the adventures of a small Gal Asterix and his big friend Obelix. I compared my school with short stories from Le petit Nicolas and my favorite animations were created in France. I won’t even mention the countless hours spend in extraordinary worlds created by Michel Ancel.

Then the childhood ended, with grittiness of American comics, the psychologic torment of “Maus” and Alan Moore stories. There were less colors, more blood and tears. But every time I had the opportunity to look at the French colorful Production – I did. And I still do. Ernest and Celestine is my latest discovery which took me back to the happier times.

Ernest and Celestine is a little know animated production, which disappeared from the view of younger audience, hidden under countless productions of Disney and Pixar, made by small studio and released only in independent cinemas (at least in Poland). Even though it did have its own moment of glory, when it get the Oscar nomination, it is still far from recognizable – it shares the sad reality with The Song of the Sea.

However, I could watch it, simply by an accident and I cannot say how much I liked this movie. It is a simple story of friendship between two different persons – something very usual in the cinema and literature, but this time there is no romantic affair but just the true friendship, which sometimes is even better than love. There are only two inhabitants of this movie’s world – bears and mice. Bears are living on the surface while mice are hidden in the world beneath the ground, in small, colorful cities. To live and prosper, mice needs to get the bear teeth, since whenever mouse is losing its teeth – it dies, so smart mouse-dentists are creating dentures out of bear teeth.

Both heroes are the outcasts – Ernest (bear) is a failed actor, artists and musician, who didn’t want to follow his father’s steps into the world of the law, Celestine is an orphan, working as the teeth hunter, but she prefers to draw on her small notebook. This duo’s meeting is completely accidental, but it gives the beginning for the beautiful, true friendship, which made us laugh and enjoy. But the authors are not afraid of hitting on more grim tones in this “movie for kids” – Ernest and Celestine are pursued by the forces of law, which leads to the flaming finale in the courtroom, where everyone get the valuable lesson.

I didn’t mention the artistic side of this production, and there is much to say – it is simply gorgeous. Hand-painted aquarelles, in rather impressionistic style and lively colors. This movie is very light-hearted in its aesthetic. It has smoothness which I cannot compare with any other animated movie I’ve ever seen. Artistic masterpiece, with really good, realistic yet simplistic animation. And music is another glimpse of a gentle genious.

I highly recommend this movie to everyone – it is a true marvel of animated cinema, which is silently triumphing in the times when Disney forgot how much kindness and soul you can give to the hand-made tales.