Breakfast at Kinodvor: Marona's Fantastic Tale, feature film (9+)

Maronino fantastično popotovanje / Călătoria fantastică a Maronei / L’extraordinaire voyage de Marona / Marona's Fantastic Tale

In French with Slovenian and English subtitles

Marona is a mixed-breed Labrador whose life leaves deep traces among the humans she encounters. After an accident, she reflects on all the homes and different experiences she’s had. As Marona’s memory journeys into the past, her unfailing empathy and love brings lightness and innocence into each of her owners’ lives, in this beautiful and deeply emotional story of an average dog and her extraordinary life. 

Directed by: Anca Damian

Written by: Anca Damian, Anghel Damian

Art director: Brecht Evens

Animation: Dan Panaitescu, Hefang Wei, Loïc Espuche, Chloé Roux

Music: Pablo Pico

Editing: Boubkar Benzabat

Voices: Lizzie Brocheré, Bruno Salomone, Thierry Hancisse, Nathalie Boutefeu

Producers: Anca Damian, Ron Dyens, Tomas Leyers

Production: Aparte Film, Sacrebleu Production, Mind Meets

Distribution: Charades

When I had the idea of making this film, I felt that under the guise of a “family-friendly story” I could find a deeper meaning, one that is essential to (but also invisible in) today’s mundane reality. In this sense, the use of animation allowed me the freedom to create a unique space of trust and imagination. Here, in a playful way, I feel I can influence the perspective of the audience. Seeing things through a dog’s eyes is like giving everybody a mirror to face the truth, a truth which they are no longer able to deny. For me, this film is like a modern fairytale.

The choice of animation is justified not only because it facilitates, unlike fiction, the anthropomorphism of the animal, but also because it is the expression the surrealistic "tint" of the film. The latter is brought about as much by narration of the story in the first person as by the need to bring to the fore, over and beyond the visible realism of a plot anchored in everyday life, the poetic elements of the story.

- Anca Damian

Awards (selection):

- Best Animated Feature, Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival 2019

- Grand Prize and Audience Award, Bucheon International Animation Film Festival 2019

- Special Jury Prize, Animation Is Film, Los Angeles, 2019

- Nominated for Best Feature Film, Annecy International Animated Film Festival, 2019

- Nominated for Best Animated Feature, Ottawa International Animation Festival 2019

- Nominated for European Animated Feature Film, European Film Awards 2019