The Triplets of Belleville

An irresistible instant classic from French comic book artist Sylvain Chomet (who supervised its production while living in Montreal), the eye-popping, retro-looking, triumphantly eccentric Triplets of Bellevue marked an inspired return, in our age of antiseptic computer-animated blockbusters, to the good old-fashioned glories of hand-drawn animation. After her bicycling grandson Champion goes missing during the Tour de France, elderly Madame Souza, suspecting foul play, sets off with plump pooch Bruno to find him. Their journey leads them overseas to the Manhattan-like metropolis of Belleville, where they are aided by a renowned trio of singing sisters. Unapologetically French yet universally appealing, Triplets blends giddy caricature, the cinema of Jacques Tati, a nostalgia for vintage French pop culture, and even the Gallic penchant for frogs’ legs into a dazzlingly inventive visual concoction. The superb aural design uses next-to-no dialogue (making subtitles unnecessary). The film earned Oscar nominations in the Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song categories. (Chomet’s second animated feature, 2010’s The Illusionist, was also Oscar nominated). “A smashing debut . . . Triplets is animated rapture from sweet start to enthralling finish line” (Mary Corliss, Film Comment). “Ingenious and original” (J. Hoberman, Village Voice). Colour, 35mm. 80 mins.