FIAF (The French Institute Alliance Française) hosted the 6th edition of Animation First this Friday at Tinker Auditorium.
Animation First is the only festival in the U.S. dedicated to showcasing French animation. The Knocktural was able to attend the opening night for the premiere of Little Nicholas- Happy as can be by Amandine Fredon and Benjamin Massoubre. Little Nicholas is an animated biopic of Jean- Jacques Sempé and René Goscinny who are the beloved writers of Le Petit Nicolas, a popular French children’s book series.
Little Nicholas showcased the lives and friendship of creators Sempé and Massoubre, while telling the story of their creation, Nicholas. The film captures Nicholas on his mischievous childhood adventures in France. The film follows Nicholas through a trip to summer camp, a visit from grandma, and a playdate with a girl. During this Nicholas also has dialogue with his creators behind the pencil, Sempé and Massoubre. They describe their not so idyllic upbringings and explain that Nicholas allows them to experience the beauty of childhood again.
This film was a labor of love taking 8 years to create! The intricate and astonishing animations in Little Nicholas truly leap off the page. The storytelling and visuals of Little Nicholas truly make it a must see!
