Adaptation Film Programme: Belleville Rendezvous (2003)

Figure 1: Movie Poster [Still Image]

Belleville Rendezvous (2003) is animated comedy film written and directed by Sylvain Chomet. The film is Chomet's first feature film and was an international co-production among companies in France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Canada. Awards that this film has managed to clinch includes Best Film Music at the César and BBC Four World Cinema. Additionally, since it was co produced in Canada, it won the Genie award for Best Motion Picture. Chomet's work can be recognised easily and what set his works apart from others is his distinctive, exaggerated designs of his characters. He also incorporates the French culture in his work which includes the distinguishable European streets and the annual event called Tour de France where cyclist from all over the country participate in this bicycle race.

Belleville Rendezvous (2003) revolves around the lives of Madame Souza and her orphaned Grandson whom she has been training to be a world beating cyclist. During the mountain stage of the Tour de France, her Grandson was kidnapped by people from the French mafia and was brought to the city of Belleville. Madame Souza and her pet dog, Bruno, teamed up with the Belleville Sisters, a song-and-dance trio seeking for assistance in a rescue mission to save her Grandson.

It is visually interesting animation. The characters have been designed to portray how Chomet sees the people of France and Belleville are like and since it has been highly stylized, these characters looks like caricatures. Despite having no concrete script, the complexity of the visuals helps to propel the story forward which makes it understandable and readable to the audience. Hence, making it a successful piece of work. All in all, this animation can easily be enjoyed. For those who would love to see how a piece of work can still turn out to be a success with interesting visuals, I definitely recommend this. Additionally, there are interesting subtexts to this film which can be read if it has been watched closely.

List of Illustration: 

 Belleville Rendezvous (2003) [Poster] at http://cineclubejoane.org/2014-07/images/Belleville.jpg (Accessed on 9 March 2015)