Kirikou and the Sorceress

Kirkou is so productive, you will watch 1998's animated feature KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERESS and feel less than adequate.  I watched it after a long day of seeing patients, writing reports, doing chart notes, responding to e-mails, and putting out several fires and I still felt like a slacker.   And he's only a few days old.  During a highly amusing opening scene, Kirikou talks to his mother from the womb, then proceeds to walk out of it, non chalantly removing the umbilical cord.  He wonders where his father and uncles are.  His mother informs him that they have been killed (eaten, actually) by an evil sorceress named Karaba.

Kirikou immediately sets out to help his village.  He accompanies his one living uncle and manages to trick Karaba and her "fetishes",  which are slow moving robot minions that seem inspired by a DOS program from the '80s.  Kirikou repeatedly saves the village's gang of children from Karaba's snares (one of which is a tree of forbidden fruit), even though they are repeatedly ungrateful, though they do sing a song about his heroism that catches on with everyone.   Our little hero even figures out how to replenish the village's long dammed up water supply.  This kid gets things done.

But he continually wonders why Karaba, who lives in a fortress in the woods and seems to exist only to torture said village, is so evil and angry.  Does his wise old grandfather, who lives in an impregnable mountain on the other side of said fortress, have the answer? 

KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERESS is a production involving collaborators in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Senegal.  The 2D animation, under the direction of Michel Ocelot, is at times quite striking and gorgeous.  It perfectly realizes Ocelet's screenplay, which is based in part on West African folk tales.   It tells a gentle, positive tale that should encourage viewers of any age.  I was delighted and surprised that it avoided looking into the shadows, preferring instead to take a - dare I say it - Christlike view of things.  There are no violent showdowns or notions of vengeance.   An appreciation of nature and its creatures, and a spirit of forgiveness pervades.  And it has music by Youssour N'Dour.

What a beautifully conceived and executed feature.  This should be mandatory viewing for kids, especially those American, if for no other reason than to demystify animated nudity.