Belleville Rendez-vous

2003 - Dir.: Sylvain Chomet
Shown at The FeckenOdeon on November 27th, 2004

Every so often the far fringes of animation cough up something so amazing that it's almost beyond criticism. It is safe to say you have never seen an animated film remotely like "Belleville Rendez-vous". With traditional pen-and-ink cartoons increasingly giving way to the popularity of computer animation, you may never have a chance to see another one quite like it again.
With contributions from teams of animators based in France, Belgium and Latvia, "Belleville Rendez-vous" (known to the rest of the world as "Les Triplettes de Belleville") is clearly the product of a single controlling imagination, that of the French comic-strip artist and filmmaker Sylvain Chomet, whose first feature this is. It's funny, bizarre and ultimately quite moving. With a bit of Tintin and Tati, Charlie Chaplin and Wallace and Gromit echoing in the pacing and comic sensibility, "Belleville Rendez-vous" conjures up a world that's totally surprising and sublime. Chomet and his animation crew have come up with a gem. It really is a dream come true.... though if you're having dreams like this perhaps you should seek help!