Juliette and Carmen spend the weekend with their mum’s friend Agnès, who is a talented children’s story writer. When their babysitter decides to take a nap after a day of writing, the girls are left alone. Bored, they both turn to reading Agnès’ work. Unexpectedly, the sisters get trapped in the world of their favourite book, The Kingdom of the Winds, and turn into cats. Imagination and courage are the sisters’ only allies, but will Juliette and Carmen be able to help the capricious King Sirocco regain his joie de vivre so they can return home?
Visual exuberance, a playful visual style referencing Hayao Miyazaki and animation masters of French cinema, but above all the ability of two sisters to overcome hardship and loss. What could be described as a glossy explosion of inventiveness, Benoît Chieux’s film is a darling of animation festivals, having been nominated for the Best Feature Film at the prestigious Annecy Festival and winning the Audience Award. Witty, intelligent and visually stunning, it’s a film for all ages – adults and music lovers alike will appreciate the references to the Beatles’ psychedelic Yellow Submarine universe.
Foreword by the programme curator: The school of French animation continues to impress, both with its technical mastery and its aesthetic beauty. This film will appeal to the littlest ones who will enjoy the carousel of colours and shapes, to the slightly bigger ones who will enjoy the adventures of the cat girls, and even to the biggest audience members who will appreciate the film's seamless flow and visual harmony.