It's a delightful cartoon that truly feels African in the way it carries the wisdom of the ages. It feels like a great fable, preserved for generations because of the wise lessons it imparts. [04 Aug 2000, p.19]
Many times more African than "Tarzan" and "The Lion King" combined, Kirikou and the Sorceress is one of the best movies so far in this very young year.
One of the movie's chief charms is Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour's lyrical score, which almost suggests an anti-"Lion King" approach. The music isn't in a hurry to dramatize its story or make epic statements. The same might be said of writer-director Michel Ocelot's delicate animation style and his handling of small moments. [30 Jun 2000]
The plots of animated features are often excuses for visual showboating, but here the lilting story line, based on west African folktales, complements the alternately sumptuous and austere images.
It's more a piece to admire than to be involved by, yet it's easy to imagine children hypnotized by a hero tinier than they are when "Kirikou" is continually loaded into the VCR.
Production Company
Les Armateurs,
Odec Kid Cartoons,
Monipoly Productions,
Trans Europe Film,
Studio O,
France 3 Cinéma,
Radio Télévision Belge Francophone (RTBF),
Exposure,
Canal+,
Eurimages,
Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC),
MEDIA Programme of the European Union,
Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles,
Fonds National de Soutien à la Production Audiovisuelle du Luxembourg,
Société des Producteurs de Cinéma et de Télévision (Procirep),
Agence de la Coopération Culturelle et Technique,
Pôle image d'Angoulême