This superb film on TV this week adapts a huge classic of French literature. But it changes everything.
In 2022, France 2 and the National Book Center had launched a major consultation to determine which were the French people’s favorite novels. In fourth place, we found an immense classic of literature, a masterpiece unanimously praised for its poetry, whose adaptation can be discovered this week on TV.
Released in 1943, this poetic and philosophical work is a reflection on the conception of life, the gap between the innocence of childhood and the absurdity of adult life, which can be discovered at all ages. This is why a new adaptation, released in theaters in 2015 and broadcast on television this week, has chosen not only animation to adapt this story, but has also chosen to create new characters to make it accessible. This work is obviously The little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, which is known as one of the most complicated literary works to adapt.
Directed by Mark Osborne, this adaptation of the Little Prince received the César Award for Best Animated Film the year after its release. It follows a very serious and mature little girl, whose studious vacation is going to be disrupted by her neighbor, the Aviator, an eccentric and generous man who is going to tell her about his meeting with the Little Prince, who then comes to serve as a support for reflection for the two characters. A new world then opens up for the little girl, who is going to learn to enjoy her childhood and open her eyes to the adult world.
This version of the Little Princecarried by André Dussollier, Florence Foresti, Vincent Cassel or Marion Cotillard in French voice, has therefore chosen to add an additional plot to bring Saint-Exupéry’s novel to the screen. The filmmaker has also chosen to use animation (in particular two techniques, computer-generated imagery and stop-motion animation) to adapt this philosophical tale, unlike many film adaptations of novels which often favor live action.
This is not surprising when you know that The little Prince is embellished with watercolor drawings signed by the author himself. If you missed this pretty animated version when it was released, you can watch it on Gulli at 9:05 p.m. this Tuesday, July 16.