Michel Ocelot is one of animation’s great auteurs and a household name in France, Spain, Scandinavia and Japan, where Studio Ghibli oversee the release of his films. In the past decade Kirikou et la sorcière (1998) brought his work to a wider cinema audience though the high levels of nudity involved have left major broadcasters unwilling to air the film on television. Happily, his recent video for Björk’s 'Earth Intruders' has brought him further recognition in the English-speaking world just in time for his most ambitious feature to date.
An Arabian Nights adventure of M. Ocelot’s own invention, Azur & Asmar charts the overlapping destinies of two men raised by the same woman. Azur is the blonde-haired, blue-eyed son of a nobleman. Asmar is the dark-skinned and dark-eyed child of a wet nurse. They live like brothers until Azur’s tyrannical father separates them when he throws the wet nurse and her biological son out on the street. Years later, Azur still thinks of his nurse and her stories, particularly the one about the djinn-fairy who is waiting to be released from his chamber by a good and noble prince.
Ocelot’s strangely rigid use of animation may require your eyes to adjust though the lavish production design should keep you entertained until they do. The characterisation is just as detailed as the beautifully drawn backgrounds and the film commendably concludes that all races need to get down together.