Channel Frederator Blog

Ghibli World has posted an extensive interview and studio visit with French animation director (and writer and production designer and etc.) Michel Ocelot, creator of the films Kirikou and the Sourceress, Kirikou and the Wild Beasts, and Azur and Asmar. (Why on this site? Studio Ghibli is responsible for releasing his films in Japan.)

Some choice quotes:

“All my heroes are me, but much better. It is obvious that Kirikou is telling what I would like to tell. He is ideal. Not giving up. I never gave up and, in the long run, I won. But I had a very hard life, having been a jobless person most of the time. I refused mediocre TV series I was proposed. This kind of things. Kirikou is very honest. He never thinks about lying. He has sharp ideas. That’s what I like. He loves people…”

“I do my work as best as I can. That is all. Now, dear spectator, try and like it. I did my job, it is your turn. I am endeavoring to charm you and do good to you, whatever your age, nationality or gender is. I never thought of doing a film for children…but that is the way it is…Kids do not want any more than grown-ups to be treated as babies, and their fresh brain is here to take in all kinds of information.”

More Ocelot news: In October, a DVD collection of Ocelot’s short works will be released in France. In November, the Weinstein company will release an American DVD version of Azur and Asmar.

Here’s an excerpt from his very first film, Les Trois Inventeurs, where he animated elaborate paper cut-outs; it will be included on the French DVD:

After the jump: “Earth Intruders”, a video he made for Bjork in 2007… [Read more…]