France's Ugo Bienvenu prepared to submit animated film 'Arco' for Oscars consideration

French animated feature "Arco", a hopeful adventure produced with the support of Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman and praised by critics, is positioning itself for an Academy Award run under the guidance of director Ugo Bienvenu. However, the journey from its Cannes premiere to potential Oscar recognition leaves Bienvenu feeling strange and questioning his desire for the famed statuette.

Awards are both a blessing and a challenge. They set expectations for the future, the 38-year-old filmmaker shared in an interview in Los Angeles, where he is promoting his film, a visionary depiction of a harmonious world.

Bienvenu explained, My work is about creating, and to create you need to feel light, free enough to imagine. This approach enabled the comic book artist to produce his first feature-length film. Rather than accepting Hollywood offers to adapt one of his graphic novels, he opted to craft something entirely original.

"Arco", which claimed the top award at the prestigious Annecy Animation Festival, tells the story of a deep friendship between two children, set against contrasting visions of humanitys future and its treatment of the planet.

Plot and Themes

The story follows Arco, a boy from a distant future where humans live in balance with nature on cloud-based platforms, allowing Earth to heal. Donning a rainbow cape from his family, Arco attempts to travel back to the age of dinosaurs but instead lands in the year 2075. There, he meets Iris, a girl his age coping with constant natural disasters and parents who interact with her mostly through holograms, often leaving her in the care of a robot nanny.

Despite looming catastrophe, Iris is determined to help Arco return home. In doing so, she learns lessons about protecting humanity. Bienvenu hopes his environmentally conscious tale conveys a simple truth: Dont lie to children.

Our world faces heat waves, wildfires, and accelerating challenges, he said. Children should understand the reality of their time, but also see that hope remains.

Production Journey

Created entirely in 2D with a dreamlike musical score, Arco has drawn comparisons to the works of Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki. Bienvenu, who also works on short films and is directing a Marvel "Ant-Man" mini-series, faced obstacles during production. The lack of a traditional villain in the script made investors hesitant.

Critics doubted the story because there was no classic antagonist, even though the real opponent is the system we live in, he explained.

Bienvenu invested his personal savings to develop an animatica black-and-white storyboardto convince producers. This approach won over Mountain A, the production company led by Portman and Sophie Mas. The actress stated she supported the project to create films that offer a better world for our children.

Personal Inspiration

Shifting from a darker artistic style, Bienvenu credits fatherhood for his change in tone. I wanted to offer the world a hug, to create a gentle story, he said. Its about bringing light, not darkness.

Produced in Paris on a budget of 9 million ($10.5 million), Bienvenu hopes Arco will inspire growth in Frances animation industry. We often limit ourselves in the script phase, thinking the funding will never materialize. But sincerity moves people, he remarked.

Oscar nominations will be announced on January 22, ahead of the awards ceremony on March 15.

Author: Connor Blake