In-Conversation with Michel Ocelot
Michel Ocelot is a legend of the animation world. Born in the French Riviera, he spent his childhood between Guinea and the Loire Valley before settling in Paris, where he studied. He did military service in the Army Cinema, where he made animated films that could not be shown because of military secrecy. He began making short animated films in the 1970s. All of his works have been based on his own scripts and drawings. Among his short films, he directed The 3 Inventors (1980 Bafta for the best-animated film, London), followed by The Legend of the Poor Hunchback (1983 César for the best animated short film, Paris). In 1998, Michel Ocelot became known to the general public with the success of his first feature film Kirikou and the Sorceress. He then released Princes and Princesses, fairy tales in a shadow theater using cut-out animation, and Kirikou and the Wild Beasts, co-directed with Bénédicte Galup. Azur & Asmar (2007), his 4th feature film, is another fairy tale set on both sides of the Mediterranean: it was selected for the Cannes Film Festival Director’s Fortnight. He has gone on to even greater successes,Dilili in Paris, set in the Belle Epoque, won the 2019 Cesar award. His latest film Black Pharaoh, the Savage and the Princess, is playing at the Red Sea IFF.
Other movies
STATE OF SILENCE
Director: Santiago Maza
Four Mexican journalists who risk their lives to report on their country’s violent “narco-politics” talk in depth about their experiences, the dangers they face and the crucial importance of independent journalism. Mexico has been the frontline of the so-called “war on drugs” for two decades, where the line between law and crime is blurred – the continuing threats against journalists have effectively created dangerous zones of silence. Jesús Medina, Juan de Dios García Davish, María de Jesús Peters and March Vizcarra are committed to breaking that silence, reporting on local corruption, the theft of water from farmers by the drug lords and cartel-related shootings. Medina describes his job as being an “amplifier” for ordinary people who, without a free and committed press, have no voice.
THE TALE OF DAYE'S FAMILY
Director: Karim Elshenawy
Daye, an 14-year-old Nubian albino with a golden voice, faces adversity due to his unique appearance. Abandoned by his father and bullied by peers, he dreams of following his idol, Mohamed Mounir. When he gets a chance to audition for The Voice, Daye and his family embark on a perilous journey from Aswan to Cairo. Their journey is fraught with challenges: a stolen car, lost money, and a harrowing escape from the police. They face discrimination and struggle to survive, but their unwavering determination and Daye's powerful voice keep them going. With the help of a kind fireman and a chance encounter with Mounir himself, Daye overcomes obstacles and captures the hearts of a nation. Daye is a heartwarming tale of resilience, hope, and the transformative power of music. It’s a poignant exploration of tolerance, ambition, and the unbreakable bond of family.
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Palestinian cousins Chatila and Reda have fled a Lebanese refugee camp for Athens. Their sights are set on Germany but, with no money or passports, they are stuck in an underground limbo living off scams and petty crime. For Chatila, who has discovered a ruthless streak, anything is justified – even ripping off their fellow refugees – but Reda hates what he has become, a shame he smothers with drugs, squandering the little money they have. Things look up, however, when they meet Malek: a young boy who says his aunt will send him money to bring him to Italy. Working in a style between documentary and fiction, director Mehdi Fleifel brings home the reality of desperation with poignancy and warmth.
BLACK DOG
Director: Guan Hu
While China buzzes in anticipation of the Beijing Olympics, Lang returns from a decade in prison to his home town to find it largely deserted, its crumbling concrete blocks being torn down to make way for a new industrial city. The exodus of humans means that the area is now overrun with stray dogs; Lang, needing a job, joins a hastily assembled extermination team supposed to round them up but, when a dog suspected of having rabies adopts him, he realizes his real mission is to save the animals, including the ones at the nearly deserted local zoo.. In a riveting, almost wordless performance, Eddie Peng shows Lang recover his humanity, even as the landscape around him becomes increasingly desolate.
