It is difficult to define uniquely what the purpose of art is, but one of the basic concepts is that it should make us better, more heartfelt, more responsible and more aware of one another and the surrounding environment Mother Nature. If I agree with this concept, then last year's representative of the legendary Jibley studio is an example of such art in its purest form. If it just has to make us feel strong and different feelings, the Belgian-French-Japanese co-production also corresponds to the description.
"The Red Turtle" is the first animation of the studio, which is not Japanese-directed. The culprit for the film is Belgian animator Michael Dudok de Witt, 2001 Oscar winner for the short animation "Father and Daughter". In 2008, his dream came true, and the people behind Princess Mononoke and The Tomb of the Fireflies were in touch with him, asking for the creation of a feature-length animation on his idea of producing Jibley in his homeland. The illustrator was initially so amazed at the generosity of the suggestion that he accepted everything for a joke. After a solid preparation, life on a small Seychelles island, thousands of reference photographs and years of continuous work in a small team, in 2016 the "The Red Turtle" was born - one of the most poetic, simple and beautiful animations I've ever seen. At the Cannes Film Festival that year, the film won the Un Certain Regard jury's special prize and received a Golden Camera nomination. The film's fable is simple and could be told today, as it was 50, 500 or 2000 years ago. After an exhausting struggle with the turbulent ocean, a nameless shipwreck finds itself on an island with potable water, bamboo wood and a variety of animal species small curious raccoons, seals, turtles, birds, bats, caterpillars, etc.) but not other people. The man makes several attempts to return to civilization, but they were thwarted by a mysterious marine dweller - a large red turtle, then he spends the rest of his life on the same island. But he is not alone.
Hand-crafted and very detailed rendering, frame-by-frame, de Vith's animation is a timeless existential tale of man's connection with nature, loneliness, forgiveness, second chances, and ... (anyone can add more themes to their own list because the work allows them). The frames are filled with so much simplicity and the next simple beauty that you can quietly pause in a few seconds and just beautify in harmony, moving to the same island. De Wit has always been an illustrator and intends to stay as far as the industry allow him. The author respects computer animation and thinks he can do miracles with it. But his art is the images depicted by human hand and the small imperfections that follow from it. Thus the paintings acquire true character and unique sensation. The only element of the film that is computer-generated is the red turtle itself because of its complex texture but the way it is homogeneously woven into the cartoon is more than magnificent and completely unrecognizable.
Extremely difficult for the creators and valuable to the viewers is that the "The Red Turtle" is realized without words or annotations, but it does not need such, because it speaks to our inner universal language - that of feelings through the magic of images. This is a very open film that does not dictate how you feel at this or that moment, nor does it try to teach you or to impose certain philosophical and political ideas. And whether you look at it as a meticulously conceived allegory of human life, or just as a beautiful survival story, this animation will laugh, make you sad, scare you, wonder and make you feel more alive. One of my favorite scenes - a group of tiny baby-tortoises walking by the sand pass by the man and with a great deal of effort manage to get into the water, and in the next frame a group of curious crabs board the character's raft looking at him in anticipation of adventures, after which he pushes them out of it, helminth the water. If you can assume "The Red Turtle" in your inner world, you will surely experience deep respect and awe to Mother Nature in a childlike and spotless way that you rarely encounter in cinema. Give it a chance!
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