by Jake Bourgeois, Contributing Writer
I’ve always had a soft spot for animation. More years than not, at least a couple of animated features find their way onto my top 10 list. So, I’m setting out to shine a light on some films that may have passed you by. The idea with Animation Celebration is to take a look at some underseen gems — so no Toy Story or Frozen here.
Let’s get started.
In keeping with last month’s mood, we’ve got another uplifting subject to tackle for this month: life under a genocidal Communist regime.
Currently streaming on Netflix, Funan, titled for the former ancient name of what is now Cambodia, follows the plight of a family as the country falls under the rule of the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s and parents search for their missing son — who’s separated from them in the forced march of evacuees from the capital.
First thing’s first, let’s address the elephant in the room with this project. As commendable as it is that this story seeks to shed light on a terrible event in history, it would have been preferable if it could have been done in a more representative manner when cast. As a member of Team Subs Over Dubs, I didn’t mind having to read subtitles to ingest this story. (The original language was French, fitting for a French production.) I understand that that completing a project in the native language of the story of which you’re portraying is not always feasible. Barring that, at a bare minimum, getting at the very least actors of Asian descent to voice the roles would have been nice. The fact that this story is being brought to life by white voice actors is a disappointing and something that can’t go unaddressed.
However, it is a story that’s obviously very personal to its director for his first feature film. French-born, Denis Do is a mix of French, Chinese, and Cambodian. The story of the film is based on his personal historical research and the experiences of his own mother. The fact that it was so personal, aside from the fact that animation is the medium in which he works, was also a factor given the story’s personal nature. Do said it also gives the character more universality by not having to have her portrayed by an actress.
Like most of the European animation covered in this series, it’s two-dimensional with a very hand-drawn feel. The animation of the people is kept very simple. It’s in the setting, the place that the detail of the animation gets to stand out more. With filmed shots, what’s often referred to as “golden hour” is just as striking when it’s animated here. There are some gorgeous sunsets and nighttime scenes. The use of color is what really makes this animation stand out, particularly when it’s playing in various reds.
Narratively, it delivers a story of perseverance and determination that is engaging. The way the narrative is structured splits things, post-disappearance, between the parents and their son and that choice really worked for me. There’s a lot of trauma endured for both generations and it shows they do not escape their ideal unaffected. It illustrates how the horrors each had to witness impacted them psychologically as they tried to survive and reconnect.
Overall, this is a story worth experiencing if you can. As a history nerd, I’m always going to be partial to films that are influenced by or interested in exploring historical events. Yes, representation in acting of all forms is something to strive for, but neglecting this story due to that being lacking does a disservice to the creator for whom this is obviously a passion project and whose passion shines through obviously.
Funan isn’t for everyone. It’s quite a depressing tale that you have to be in the mood to tackle. However, it’s a tale worth telling and worth watching.
I’m excited to continue to geek out on some great animated work you may not have had a chance to catch. With the upcoming release of Elemental heralding the return of a Pixar tradition, I’m going searching for projects that fell through the cracks during said tradition’s hiatus and hopefully find something that sparks my interest.
You can read more from Jake Bourgeois, and follow him on Twitter and Letterboxd