Samuel

I loved 'Samuel'. It's a beautiful, sensitive series with real emotional depth. The writing is strong and subtle, and the whole thing just flows in such an honest, quiet way.

I'm amazed that the director did so much on her own - directing, drawing, even voicing the characters. It's impressive how she managed to bring her vision to life so fully. You can really feel the personal touch in every detail.

The dance scenes blew me away - so intense and full of life. Watching it made me think about my own childhood in a really unexpected way. You quickly feel close to the characters, and the story feels real and intimate. It's not loud or flashy, but it stays with you. Just a really touching piece of work.

Samuel is a wonderful cartoon. The episodes, only a few minutes long, are dense and impeccably written. Those anodyne scenes make up a bittersweet coherent work of unexpected scope.

We go from laughter to tears in a matter of seconds. The animations are delightful, expressive and minimalist. As for the soundtrack, it doesn't illustrate the drawings, it makes them move on screen.

I watched this in one sitting, thinking fondly of Scott Fitzgerald's "The Crack-up" and Irving's "A Prayer for Owen Meany". It was perfect.

Bravo to Emilie Tronche, who drew and directed this little gem all by herself. The whole world will love it. We haven't heard the last of her.