The Crossing (La Traversée) by Florence Miailhle
Produced by Les Films de l'Arlequin (France), Xbo Films (France), Balance Film (Germany) and MAUR film (Czech Republic), this is the first feature film by celebrated animation director Florence Miailhle.
A plundered village, a fleeing family, and two stray children on the roads of exile: Kyona and Adriel are trying to escape from their pursuers and to reach some more welcoming country. During their initiatory trip from childhood to teenage, they will have to cross an entire continent obsessed with hunting down migrants, and to go through many trials, both real and surreal, in order to discover a New World, free at last!! - Film Synopsis
The script was written by Marie Desplechin and Florence Miailhe. The project was presented at CARTOON Movie 2020 in sneak preview.
Update June 2021: The Crossing Premieres at Annecy Festival |
The first teaser for the film
The Crossing is told through the memories of an old woman: after all those years Kyona narrates what happened a long time ago when she was still a child. The commentary voice‑over technique is especially suitable for an animated movie. It gives the film a unifying element, continuity, it bridges narrative ellipses. What’s more, it emphasizes the magic and subjective character of the painting without losing us in the plot. On the contrary, the commentary exactly defines the individual parts of the story – a bit like in the Arthur Penn film Little Big Man.
While the story is narrated linearly, the painting allows the capture of the true character of our variously mixed and emotionally charged memories. The voice‑over gives the narrative a strong emotional frame. Like with my earlier short films I chose the animation of painting and sand under the camera. For the needs of this feature length film we cooperated with a dozen experienced animators. Several others were taking part in creating layout or stacking the layers of the picture in the computer etcetera. Last but not least, music will have a defining role in this film. It will ease the viewers into the world of Kyona and Adriel. The music will add evocation of the past and interconnected emotional fantasies and memories - Florence Miailhe
Zippy Frames Sneak Review (CARTOON Movie 2020):
Zippy Frames Sneak Review: Florence Miailhe's first feature film is ready to be released, and its neorealism is nothing but spectacular. Painterly awe-inspiring aesthetics aside, the graphics still allow the film to breathe and tell its own story. The narrative itself moves beyond the usual dilemma of immigrants and hostile, inhospitable nations. These are two kids who have to grow up in the most adverse circumstances, and you can feel every pulse of them both.
CREDITS:
Director Florence Miailhe Script Marie Desplechin / Florence Miailhe | Producers: Les Films de l´Arlequin / Balance Film / MAUR film / XBO Films / ARTE France Cinéma / MDR-ARTE Germany Production director: Czech Republic Marcela Vrátilová | Artistic director of animation (Czech Republic) Youri Tcherenkov | Animators (Czech Republic) Lucie Sunková, Polina Kazak, Eva Skurská Anna Paděrová, Zuzana Studená, Marta Szymanska | Music Philipp E. Kümpel
Distributors Indie Sales / Gebeka (FR) / Pilot Film (CZ) | Partner: UMTON
Indie Sales handles international sales for the film.