Animator-filmmaker Julian Chheng answered questions after
the Hong Kong International Film Festival screening of his movie :)
Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia (France-Luxembourg, 2022)
- Julian Chheng and Jean-Christophe Roger, co-directors
- Voice artists: Lambert Wilson, Pauline Brunner
- Part of the Hong Kong International Film Festival's Gala Presentation program
Ten years after I was charmed by Ernest & Celestine (2012) at the Hong Kong International Film Festival, I viewed its sequel at this year's fest. Although the two cinematic offerings have different sets of directors, the titular characters (originally created by Belgian author-illustrator Gabrielle Vincent) are voiced by the same actors in both animated movies: with Lambert Wilson giving his voice to Ernest, the big bear with a big love for music, and Pauline Brunner giving her voice to Celestine, the little mouse who has far more courage and daring than most creatures many times her size.
After met and become fast friends in the 2012 movie, Ernest and Celestine now are house mates in this thoroughly entertaining follow up film. Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia begins with Ernest having just woken up from a nightmare (that shows his having encountered political oppression in his past) and three months of hibernation. The big bear is very hungry and is not happy to discover that there's not much at all to eat in the house. It gets even more disgruntled after Celestine accidentally breaks his prize violin, and more upset still to discover that the little mouse has headed off to his home country to get it repaired by its maker -- the bear version of Antonio Stradivari.
Although Ernest had told Celestine that Gibberitia was a land where much music could be heard, this turns out to not be the case when they get there and find that all but the playing of one musical note has been outlawed -- and that the maker of Ernest's violin is now a wanted criminal. The bear's impulse is to get out of there (again) as soon as possible but this is not easy to do. And soon, Ernest -- and Celestine -- find themselves embroiled in matters concerning Ernest's family (who consist of an authoritative doctor mother, imperious judge father and cute younger sister (named Mira) who looks set to follow in their mother's professional footsteps) and Gibberitia at large.
At the Q&A session that followed the screening of Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia here in Hong Kong, co-director Julian Chheng (who shared that his mother's originally from Hong Kong) was asked if this animated work had been banned or otherwise censored anywhere in the world. This should tell you something about the film having political themes that involve rebelling against the authorities (as well as Hong Kong being the kind of place where tales of bears and a mouse as well as, most certainly, sheep and wolves can be considered problematic).
Another question asked pointed to Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia also having subject matter that Hong Kongers (and other Asians) can relate to: including offspring wanting to pursue interests and careers that their parents -- at least initially -- frown upon their doing. And when Julian Chheng divulged that he had drawn upon his personal experience with regard to this, there was much amusement indeed!
On a (still) lighter note: there is little doubt that this enchanting animated offering is a wonderful celebration of artistry -- visual and musical Put another way: Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia is absolutely an audio-visual treat (with the voice work of the voice artists being top notch, as is the musical score by Vincent Courtois); one that I can see children loving and adults being able to appreciate it too. In addition, the lessons and messages its makers seek to impart are ones that are worth taking by both the young and old. (If any confirmation was needed: animated movies are not just for kids -- and, in fact, there were none at the Hong Kong International Film Festival screening I attended!)
My rating for this film: 8.5
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