In the lovely ‘Little Amélie or the Character of Rain,’ a child awakens to worldly connection

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A sudden earthquake, followed by the delightful taste of Belgian white chocolate, is how 2½-year-old Amélie (voiced by Loïse Charpentier) first experiences the exciting and sometimes dangerous world around her. Belgium is well-known for its delicious sweets.

I was completely captivated by the little girl in “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain.” It’s amazing because the story starts before she’s even born, with her voice explaining things. She basically says she’s a powerful god and describes God as this…well, a ‘tube’ that just takes things in and spits them out! It’s a strange way to put it, but it actually made me think about how we live – constantly experiencing things. Thankfully, though, we’re more than just empty vessels, we find meaning in those experiences, which is what sets us apart.

Initially, Amélie seems disconnected from the world, simply watching life pass by as if unhappy to be alive. However, a series of events – a sudden shock and a sweet indulgence – begin to change her perspective. This film, directed by Liane-Cho Han and Maïlys Vallade, beautifully portrays her transformation, adapting Amélie Nothomb’s well-loved 2000 autobiographical novel, “The Character of Rain,” which is widely popular in French-speaking regions.

As a total animation fan, I’d describe the visuals here as really painterly – think impressionism. It’s not about super detailed designs; instead, they went with flat colors and figures that don’t have harsh outlines. It reminded me a lot of the look of films like “Long Way North” and “Calamity,” which were directed by Rémi Chayé, and I could definitely see Han and Vallade’s style shining through – they clearly brought that same beautiful, pictorial approach to this project.

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The creators of ‘Little Amélie or the Character of Rain’ talk about blending experiences from real life with imaginative, otherworldly themes in their new, visually stunning film.

Growing up in 1960s Japan as the third child of a Belgian family, young Amélie forms a sweet connection with their housekeeper, Nishio-san (Victoria Grobois). While her parents are busy with her older brothers and sisters, Amélie discovers the beauty of nature and becomes fascinated by Japanese culture. Nishio-san’s gentle approach – truly trying to see the world from Amélie’s perspective – creates a bond that feels like a deep friendship between equals.

We start to grasp Amélie’s playful and energetic spirit through how the film shows things from her perspective. At first, her shifting feelings seem to influence the weather. Later, in her mind, she even parts the ocean like Moses. This reflects a common trait for people her age – a natural focus on themselves and a lack of awareness of the larger world around them.

To show how Nishio-san lost her family during World War II, the animators Han and Vallade focus on the food she’s preparing. They use everyday cooking actions to represent traumatic events: chopped vegetables falling into a pot become like falling bombs, steam rising from the pot symbolizes the aftermath of an explosion, and rice submerged in water illustrates Nishio-san’s experience of being buried alive and struggling to escape. This difficult story is told through simple, relatable images that a child like Amélie can understand.

When Nishio tells Amélie that the Japanese word for rain, “ame,” sounds like her name, she feels validated in her strong, instinctive feelings. She sees this as proof that her connection to rain is natural, and it inspires a charming fantasy: tiny versions of herself appearing inside each raindrop. Mari Fukuhara’s music perfectly complements this scene, adding a beautiful, shimmering quality like a gentle rain shower.

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When Amélie faces death – both the loss of someone she cares about and her own near-death experiences after a couple of accidents – she starts to deal with life in a more thoughtful way. The filmmakers also explore her growing understanding of life’s difficulties and the sadness that comes with it, using imaginative animated sequences to show her inner thoughts and feelings.

Amélie is stunned to discover she isn’t Japanese, despite feeling at home in the country. Her fate may rest with Kashima-san (Yumi Fujimori), the owner of the house her family rents, who also hired Nishio-san to help them. Kashima-san harbors a deep distrust of Westerners due to past wartime experiences, and she feels betrayed by Nishio-san’s growing affection for Amélie.

Young Amélie doesn’t fully understand the significance of what’s happening, but her ability to feel Kashima-san’s sadness shows how deeply Han and Vallade explore complex emotions in their film. The touching and hopeful ending implies that remembering those we’ve lost is the only way to keep their memory alive, ensuring they aren’t truly gone.

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2025-11-08 01:01