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.
Generally, I try to give some rhyme or reason or make some connection tentpole connection with whatever my choice is for a given month. No such connection here. I just started looking for some smaller animated films that I though looked interesting, and Long Way North just happened to catch my eye. (Full disclosure: I also wanted to make use of my Peacock Premium subscription for something other than Premier League soccer matches before I let it expire at the end of the month.)
Set in 1892 Russia, the film follows Sacha, a young aristocrat who’s always had a connection with her explorer grandfather, but he hasn’t returned from his latest expedition. So, in a bid to save her family’s reputation, she runs away to pick up her grandfather’s trail. A sort of mix between Mulan and Balto would probably be the best comparison I can give. When she sets out on her journey, the score and some of the visuals even reminded me a bit of Mulan as well.
There’s a simplicity to the animation here, but simultaneously, it looks like a work of art. The quality is good, particularly for something done on such a small budget (about $5 million). I suppose that shouldn’t necessarily come as a surprise. Do any research on the well-regarded, low-viewership films this series is hoping to highlight, and you’ll find lists littered with indie French productions — though projects such as these are usually the product of cooperation between multiple western European production houses. Perhaps it’s just the fact that it’s another film that’s the product of multiple European arthouses, but the animation did remind me a bit of a film I talked about a couple of months back — A Cat in Paris, minus the more abstract aspects. Perhaps that’s too facile a comparison, but at least gives you a sense for the type of animation that you’re in for. There’s a smoothness to the animation overall, but it doesn’t sacrifice texture — particularly when it comes to the setting or things like smoke.
Director Rémi Chayé, who shares directing credits with Muhammad Omar Faruk, appears to enjoy telling these types of historical tales with young female, convention-busting protagonists. His only other feature follows a young girl who has to take the reins of her family wagon in a convoy headed west in 19th century America. The film is short and sweet — with a total run time that’s sub-90 minutes. There’s little wasted time, but it doesn’t feel rushed either. However, the script can seem a little simplistic at times. Even with some of its faults in that regard, it held my attention better than a similar ice-bound excursion from earlier this year — Against the Ice. There’s a sense of adventure that comes across in the storytelling that outweighs anything lackluster about the script. It’s a bleak and dangerous landscape our heroine and the rest of the crew are traversing, and that danger is always felt.
Watching it on Peacock ended up being a slight detriment to the film — though, no fault of its own. The only language the film had available was English, despite being an originally French-spoken film. The fault here lies not with the voiceover actors; they do a fine job. However, I’m particularly finnicky about films being dubbed over. While the lips not matching the words is less noticeable in animation, it’s still a mental block I had to fight my way through while trying to watch. Though, if you’re looking for something you can watch with someone younger, I guess that counts as a plus.
Overall, it’s a solid adventure story with a unique look that you can enjoy either in a solo showing or with some younger viewers.
I’m excited to continue to geek out on some great animated work you may not have had a chance to catch. Next month’s celebration will be a bit of a surprise party! You’re not going to want to miss it.
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