Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds
In this vivid animated feast for viewers young and old, two children pick up their babysitter’s book and magically fall into the story’s fanciful world. There, they must make their way through the Kingdom of the Winds and find a way out before they are trapped forever. In English, ages 8+
Don't miss out on special edition posters made by micropress Zine Hug! Arrive early to the May 12 screening, where the first 5 patrons to their table get these posters for free!
Inheriting the adventurous spirits of Studio Ghibli, Alice in Wonderland, and The Wizard of Oz, Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds conjures a technicolor fantasia that will delight animation lovers of any age. One boring afternoon, sisters Juliette and Carmen tumble head-over-heels into their favorite book and into the Kingdom of the Winds. Now humanoid cats, they find themselves at the whims of a frog-goblin mayor and the hurricanes sent his way by the secretive sorcerer Sirocco. Juliette and Carmen must band up with the ethereal storm chaser-turned-songstress Selma in their quest to find home...just as soon as they find Sirocco. This female-led adventure fairy tale will capture your heart with its portrayals of empathy, unapologetic confidence, and enduring sisterly love. But its mind-melting style will truly bowl you over. In his first venture as a solo director, Benoît Chieux draws from psychedelic references like Yellow Submarine and French illustrator Moebius to craft a world of pure imagination as dark as it is uncannily comforting. A real highlight, French-Cameroonian jazz vocalist Célia Kameni lends her singular voice to an otherworldly soundtrack. Sailing between breathy fantasy and a grounded story about just how far we’ll go to protect and remember those we love, Sirocco is bound to join its inspirations in the pantheon of great animation.
—Hannah Baek
- Original Language Title: Sirocco et le Royaume des Courants d'Air
- Director: Benoît Chieux
- Principal Cast: Tallula Dinsmore, Élia St-Pierre, Lucinda Davis, Terrence Scammell, Bruce Dinsmore
- Country: Belgium, France
- Year: 2023
- Running Time: 80 min.
- Producer: Ron Dyens, Cilvy Aupin, Grégory Zalcman
- Screenplay: Benoît Chieux, Alain Gagnol
- Music: Pablo Pico
- Website: Official Film Website
- Awards: Annecy Film Festival 2023 (Audience Award)
- Filmography: Aunt Hilda! (2013)
- Language: English
- Has Subtitles: Yes
- US Distributor: GKids
- International Sales: Kinology