L'extraordinaire voyage de Marona

Death and the hardship of life (above all abandonment) are the two main themes in Anca Damian's beautiful animated film. We follow Marona's solitude, from one home to another, told in voiceover. Marona's life is a tale, embellished by poetry and a generous philosophy. Anca Damian takes us in flashback in the spirit of Number Nine (her first name, as she was the last puppy to be born). Rejected by her purebred father because she was a bastard, she ends up in a trash can where she would have let herself die of despair if a pair of hands had not saved her and offered her to Manole, a tightrope walker and acrobat. This is the beginning of Marona's odyssey. From those hands to the next human (she does not say "master"), our heroine is tossed from one home to another, until a little girl names her Marona. Like the little girl, we get attached to this ball of black fur with big ears. Anyone who has had a pet (especially a dog) will find a piece of it in Marona. Each stage is underlined by its own graphic style. Marona's journey is a firework of colors, lines and sensual curves, due in particular to the expressionist visual contribution of Belgian comic book author, Brecht Evens. Over the course of her short life, Marona learns that happiness is only a fleeting moment. She therefore enjoys every second of it, which she puts in a box. Avoiding the pitfall of sentimentality, this little gem offers (in spite of the death that opens it) a real lesson in life and love. That love that Marona so generoulsy dispenses to all her "humans".

The movie is an absolute delight for the people who love animation and art. Every person is a caricature, a visual representation, a expression of emotion and character. I watched it twice because I wanted to see if I would notice what I missed after the first watch and it definitely has rewatchability. Anca Damian did a fantastic job with this movie, ever character has a recognizable style, theme and music that you would recognize when it appears. Marona is a true best friend of a dog born in a complicated human world, her experiences are lessons for humans and how small and petty our problems can be compared to others. To quote a very wise line from the movie: "Every time you fall, be thankful that it wasn't from a higher height." I feel like the movie avoided a lot of cliches and kept true to its realism and story till the end. Every character feels like a real human with real problems, and Marona has to learn to adapt and enjoy every moment of happiness like it was her last before it ends up in her box of memories. I wholeheartedly recommend this movie for families of all ages.

Our teachers organized a school trip to TIFF (Thessaloniki International Film Fesitval) and I was already visiting it every afternoon ... so going in the morning too did not sound bad at all. We got the chance to watch "Marona's Fantastic Tale" ,a sweet story about a dog that recalls her owners and their shared experiences, I already new about htis film and looked interesting enough to watch, especially from an animation standpoint.

And yes... the animation is gorgeous. So many different styles and colors and ideas in one film and it never feels dizzy or lame. Every person or building or enviroment felt detailed and creative and expressed a certain emotion. It It is a feast for the eyes and I bet the animators were really creative and vivid people, because as a visual journey the film definately did it for me.

The story is fine...it offered a critique of the society and times we live in, with the joy and biterness, the tough working life, the bizzare human relationships, the strange quarels and fights, there were happy people, dad people, men of greed and women without a heart and amongst them a dog searching for compassion, love and acceptance, a place to belong, a hug, a reason to exist. It is a story that never felt really new or deeply moving, but it formed a certain connection and in the end I cared for the characters so even if I was not overwhelmed by it's thematic or message (i do not really get why every animation film has to have an emotional massage, but whatever).

Overall, this film is far more mature than what DIsney is doing right now with the sequels and meta stuff ( it is so dissapointing )... and it deserves a watch. The music is also sweet and charming as far as I can recollect, although it's been some months since I watched it, so I really am not sure what it sounded like. Great, mesmerizing visuals and presentation, an okay story and lots of FUURRRRRR!!!!!

Happiness is a small thing. Almost nothing. A saucer of milk, a voice, smile, a heart, or a place to bury a bone.

A small dog, Marona, tells the story of her life with various human companions. Discarded in the trash as one of nine puppies, Morona narrowly escapes a tragic fate and short life. Rather than grow bitter, she is grateful for any kindness that comes her way. Marona never asks for much and cherishes little things as treasures. She gradually accumulates a "box of joys" that warm her heart and give her courage when she is scared or in trouble. With a loving person she is the richest dog in the world. In times of trouble Marona runs away, rather than hurt anyone. "It hurts less to sleep." Her love and empathy know no bounds.

This compassionate, artistic and colorful tale is deeply touching. The narrative contains impressive and moving prose which the animation and music expand upon as if they are coming from one ethereal source. Marona's story is genuinely as much human as it is canine. We are all together after all. In these deeply troubling times, she lifts your spirit. "Whenever you fall" Morona says, "be thankful it wasn't from higher up."

This is another beautiful movie that doesn't have enough reviews, so even a single low one can drop the overall number. For anyone who's ever had a pet, this is a must watch. I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't seen it yet and are encouraged by these reviews, but it's a lot better than another movie I saw about this subject. Really hits home. The story is simple, but effective, and I love the creative use of it's wild animation. I do not understand how more people have no heard of it.

Warning: the very little ones may not like it. It gets a little weird and depressing. Still, if you're an animal lover, find this on whatever streaming channel has it at the time you're reading this and watch it.