I saw this at a Museum of Modern Art screening in Manhattan and, completely unexpectedly, Michel Ocelot appeared to take questions from the audience. He said several things of interest to IMDb readers: first, that he grew up in French Guinea, and that much of the flavor of the film is based on his childhood memories. Second, though this movie played all over Europe, the wonderful African-accented dub in English (and also in French) is not echoed in other languages because it wouldn't be authentic. Third, the movie was applauded everywhere it played in Europe, but England and America "have a problem with breasts." In the US it had to be released (a very limited release) without a rating, because it would inevitably be rated R (for breasts) and thus children wouldn't be able to see it. Fourth, it was loved in Africa where it played. Screening conditions were less than ideal, but Ocelot & co. made an effort to take the movie to the bush.

Parents, you children will NOT see this delightful film unless you stay up all night and tape if for them (if you live in USA). This film is rated "Mature audiences", which means American television cannot show it except on premium cable in the middle of the night. The reason for this is that women in West Africa have never worn anything above the waist, and they are authentically illustrated, without guilt or shame, in their every-day clothing. Not suitable for children in the USA, but perfectly alright in the rest of the world.

A lovely animated film based on West African folklore, in which a precocious baby crawls out of his mother and almost immediately begins defending their village against a sorceress and her minions. The animation is beautiful but never forced, and its lean style paired well with the story. I loved the setting and how true it felt to a traditional tale, one full of magical aspects which kept me from knowing what would happen next. I also loved what felt like the parable at the film's center: how evil relies on ignorance and fear, and how evil itself is created through trauma.

Kirikou is a hero not just because he's brave and smart; just as importantly, he's a pure, innocent soul, the kind that evil always struggles to subvert. He asks questions, thinks his way through difficult situations, doesn't back down or take the easy path, and never gets angry or emotional. The fact that he understands there is a root cause to evil and seeks to find it out and address it rather than kill his nemesis, showing empathy along the way, is really quite profound. He seems too good for this world, leading to a fantastic scene with his fellow villagers towards the end. Great work all around on this one, and a joy to spend 71 minutes on.