Where is Anne Frank Is out now; What other animated films are out there to get you thinking and feeling about the world?
With the new release of the highly anticipated, animated film ‘Where is Anne Frank’ we thought we’d share some more animated films for you to have a look at!
As you may be aware, animation isn’t just for the kids. Animation over the world is heralded in film festivals for its artistic brilliance in visual storytelling. We wanted to share some more films that celebrate this genre of filmmaking with you. Although it can be hard to find theatres that show new releases of award-winning animated films, they are still being made to an impossibly beautiful standard. Animated films aren’t just princesses, heroes and cute, talking animals. They can be thought-provoking, challenging and intricate explorations of the world around us.
Here I have listed some films that can carry important messages and stories for us. They are not all easy to watch, so be warned. Some are definitely for adults only - and always look for content warnings. Happy watching!
Where is Anne Frank
This film was released in 2021 and was directed by esteemed director Ari Folman, whose other work will also appear later on. The film follows Kitty, a girl who is manifested out of the pages of Anne Frank's diary into modern day Amsterdam. Kitty is Anne Frank's imaginary friend, but becomes a physical being through the power of the diary; but she can never stray far from it.
Travelling outside of the museum, the police catch wind that Kitty has Anne Frank's diary. With the aid of a boy named Peter, Kitty escaped to a shelter, where undocumented refugees camp. On this journey of discovery, we watch as Kitty learns the fate of Anne and her family. And how in contemporary Amsterdam, Anne is sometimes mis-quoted and mis-represented in Kitty’s opinion. Kitty uses her knowledge to try and save the camp of refugees who are in danger of being deported.
This story looks to remind people of Anne Frank's message of helping people, and criticise the deification of Anne. As well as this it also seeks to explore the plight of refugees in Europe. Although the subject matter is heavy in some ways, this film also tries to present this gently to an audience, so it is not too difficult to watch if that is something you want to be mindful of.
Princess Mononoke
Studio Ghibli is one of the most popular animation production houses. If you haven’t watched anything by them, I can almost guarantee you’ve seen the ginormous, cute mascot from My Neighbour Totoro knocking about somewhere. Directed by the brilliant Hayao Miyazaki, who is widely regarded as one of the world's most accomplished filmmakers, Princess Mononoke came about in 1997. It was a massive commercial success in Japan, and was then dubbed into an English script by Neil Gaiman.
When Ashitaka’s village is ravaged by a demonised spirit, he goes on a quest to discover the reason for its anger. On his journey he discovers the struggle of the Gods of the forest and the humans who ravage its resources. Although on the surface it could appear as the time-honoured arc of; humans take/destroy/neglect nature, Miyazaki takes care to explore human industry and show both sides of the story. It describes nature not as a passive object, but a living, breathing and potentially violent force. And shows how the humans are not seeking to act evilly, but in order to live they must take. This film has been described as being Miyazaki’s reaction to Japan's 90’s ‘Lost Decade’.
It is a strange epic fantasy, the creatures are bizarre and beautiful, and it is not what one might expect. But it has certainly captured many people's hearts over the years and has a strong cult following - mine included.
The Breadwinner
Based on the best-selling novel by Deborah Ellis, this film was nominated for ‘best animated feature’ at the Oscars. Released in 2017 it was also notably executive produced by Angelina Jolie. The Irish production house Cartoon Saloon, is a growing name in animation, having produced other award winning films like The Secrets of Kells and Songs of the Sea.
Set in Kabul in the time period of the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, it follows the story of a young girl, Parvana, who after her father is taken to prison unjustly, must dress up as a boy in order to provide for the family. As Parvana works hard alongside another girl disguised as a boy, she tries to find a way to get her father out of prison. War is ever closer and the family take extreme steps in order to save themselves, but the harsh landscape obstructs them in many forms.
The film focuses on the themes of oppression, especially for women and girls. Landmines, arranged marriage,murder and execution are also topics discussed in the film. Adults and children alike can watch this film however as it is not graphic in content, it is rated 12 in the UK.
Waltz with Bashir
This film is another production by Ari Folman, however, unlike Where is Anne Frank, this film is actually a semi-biographical war drama/documentary. It is written, directed and produced by Folman. The film depicts Folman's search for lost memories of his experience as a soldier in the 1982 Lebanon war. It received wide acclaim from critics and audiences, and won numerous, prestigious awards, including a Golden Globe.
Ari’s friend has been haunted by a recurring nightmare of 26 rabid dogs chasing him through Tel Aviv, but Ari is surprised to find he cannot recall any memories from that time. So he goes to his childhood friend, a therapist, to try and find out more. The documentary follows Ari on his journey to discover where his memories went, as well as pick the brains of those who fought alongside him.
This film, unlike the others, is not for all audiences. This film is rated 18 and contains some very graphic and disturbing content. War, death and similar themes are displayed throughout, and that should be taken into consideration when watching this film. That being said, the critical acclaim this film has received is a testament to its powerful storytelling and message of anti-war.
Flee
In a similar vein to Waltz with Bashir, Flee is a sort of semi-documentary, biographical animated film. It centres on the director's close friend (alias) Amin Nawabi. The director Jonas Poher Rasmussen is Danish, and befriended Amin whilst Amin was a refugee in Denmark. It follows his story, not just as a child but as an adult, delving into both past and present for the documentary.
The story follows Amins escape from Afghanistan, from which along the journey he was fraught with many dangers. Having to claim to be an orphan, in order to not get sent back to his country, and deal with the fact that, due to his trauma, he finds it difficult to settle down with his boyfriend Kasper.
The film also did well at festivals and was shown at Sundance. The film is also unique in its approach as not only does it use its own personal style of animation, but it uses archival footage interspersed throughout the film, to bolster its realism feeling. The film is rated 15, so does contain some adult themes which viewers should be aware of.
I hope you enjoy watching these films, especially if you are new to the realm of adult animation. There is so much to be seen, and so many beautiful art styles and stories to be shared. Happy watching.
