NYICFF 2024 Discussion - Renegade Animation #140
In this episode, Captain Kaye and the Animation Guru discuss a selection of films from this year's New York International Children's Film Festival, including Academy Award nominee Robot Dreams, and Sirocco and the Kingdom of Winds.
What’s going, everyone? This is your Captain speaking, alongside my esteemed co-host, The Animation Guru! This will be our 4th year covering the New York International Children’s Film Festival, which is one that we look forward to because they often have a great selection of titles from around the world. Please tune into the podcast to hear the full discussion!
The Concierge
I’d hate to call this my least favorite film from the festival, because there’s still a lot to like about it. With Production I.G., you’re almost guaranteed to have top shelf animation, especially with a wide array of fun character designs by Chiyo Morita. I just found the overall narrative to be a little undercooked. Normally I’m not against films with an episodic structure, but with a runtime barely over 70 minutes, some were more fleshed out than others.
“It might be uneven, a bit too short in the runtime department, and it needed something to keep it all together more, but The Concierge is a delightful film that wears its charm on its sleeves. I don’t think folks will prefer this over some other major Japanese films coming out this year like The Imaginary from Studio Ponoc and Yoshiyuki Momose, but anytime a new non-anime franchise film comes out and is this delightful in its execution and appeal, then that is just as important to show that anime is not just one type of Japanese media.“ -The Animation Guru
Kensuke’s Kingdom
I have not read the book on which this film was based, but I can see why it was so beloved. It’s a great coming of age story about a young boy named Michael, who must learn to survive after being shipwrecked on a remote island. The voice cast is terrific, and the animation looks incredible. I just wish the film had better pacing, as it takes a while to get to the heart of the story.
“Kensuke’s Kingdom is a film that starts off a bit unassuming and slow, but when the emotional core shows up, it becomes a truly distinct adventure into the world of animation. The wait was worth it due to how this results in a film that is described as a quiet beauty.“ -The Animation Guru
Chicken For Linda!
We have a couple examples of how great the French animation scene is. Chicken For Linda, which will be getting a limited theatrical release in April, is a delightful family film about the bond between a mother and daughter. This movie has everything, from fantastic colorful animation, to a bevy of wonderful characters, and the seamless balancing of tones. It can be both silly and over the top, while also leaving room for plenty of tender emotional scenes, and none of it will feel out of place.
“Chicken for Linda! is the primo stuff when it comes to high-quality animation. Not only do you have a visually striking look to the overall presentation, but a real commitment to a script that brings these characters to life and grounds them in the most believable of ways. A true victorious triumph in animation that everyone should go see.“ -The Animation Guru
Sirocco and the Kingdom of Wind
Here is the other great example of what France can accomplish in animation. Director Benoît Chieux and his screenwriting parter Alain Gagnol took a page from classic portal fantasy adventures like The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, and Spirited Away, while adding so much more beneath the surface to create something truly remarkable. I don’t want to give away too much beyond what was said on the podcast, but as soon as this movie is available to the public, I implore you all to seek it out for yourselves!
“Honestly, with how this year is going to pan out, I do declare that for right now, Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds is my choice for the best animated film of 2024 so far. A beautifully woven journey of dealing with loss and loneliness. A perfectly executed piece of visual storytelling that has been worth the hype for waiting for three-four years to be crafted.“ -The Animation Guru
Robot Dreams
I still cannot fathom for the life of me why Neon decided to wait TWO MONTHS after the 96th Academy Awards to give this movie a proper theatrical release in the US. Robot Dreams was one of the very best movies from last year, a movie that conveys so much, and without a single line of dialogue. I felt a deeper connection between Dog and his Robot companion than I did between most on-screen couples in live action, which is not an easy feat to pull off. These simple character designs lull you into a false sense of security, before breaking your heart in the second half of the film. After this, you’ll never hear “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire the same way again.
“Robot Dreams is a beautifully woven tale of friendships past, present, and future, where we gain and lose those bonds that we make along our journey through life. You might have lost friends or loved ones from past relationships, but that doesn't mean you won't move on to make new ones. With a dialogue-less script, almost cruelly placed bits of dark comedy, and a lot of pure unbridled beauty in the visual storytelling, Robot Dreams is one of those film festival flicks that is worth the hype from start to finish.“ The Animation Guru
That’ll do it for this episode! Thank you all for joining us! We have provided resources for those who wish to support the victims of the Israel-Hamas war: https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/, https://www.ifnotnowmovement.org/, https://itch.io/b/2120/games-for-gaza, https://www.instagram.com/palestineredcrescent/, https://buildpalestine.com/2021/05/15/trusted-organizations-to-donate-to-palestine/, https://www.npr.org/2023/10/13/1205235922/help-israel-gaza-humanitarian-organizations.
