Ballerina
2016 · Directed by Eric Summer, Éric Warin
Original language: English
- animation
- family
- comedy
- music
The story
In 1879 Paris, a young orphan dreams of becoming a ballerina and flees her rural Brittany for Paris, where she passes for someone else and accedes to the position of pupil at the Grand Opera house.
What it’s like
Warm, hand-painted animation with soft pastel palettes, rounded character designs, and the bright, storybook sheen of late-nineteenth-century Paris: cobbled streets in gaslight amber, the gilded interior of the opera house, and sweeping views of the Eiffel Tower under pale dusk skies. Its sound is buoyant and orchestral, with a score that leans into waltz rhythms and music-box lightness, and the dance sequences unfold in fluid, expansive motion that rewards watching with the volume up. The vibe is sweet, bright and gently whimsical, the kind of family-friendly comfort watch that suits a lazy weekend afternoon, a sick-day rewatch, or a child's first choice of movie night. Pacing is brisk and episodic, with broad comic beats and a clear emotional arc about a determined girl who learns that a dream can survive hardship and a little invention. Intensity is very low: mild peril, some slapstick, a few tearful moments, and no real violence, gore, or sexual content. It is for families, younger viewers, and adults who want something light, earnest and visually lush without any edge.
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