For a movie with such high production value, I was surprised to find that Ballerina, a 2016 Canadian/French animated feature, has not yet been released in USA (it is currently set to be released on August 30th). Resembling perhaps a lost-in-the-shuffle Pixar gem, it follows a young girl, Felicie, as she leaves her orphanage in Brittany behind in hopes of pursuing her dreams of dancing on the stage in Paris' biggest opera houses. With the aid of her DaVinci-like inventor friend Victor, Felicie will soar high above the City of Lights, and I'm not talking just metaphorically.
Directors Eric Summer and Eric Warin bring the 19th century Paris back to life quite impressively, especially in scenes during twilight hours, where the shadows and the street lights combine to produce an exquisite image worthy of admiration. Where Ballerina doesn't quite soar, for example - especially when compared to other, more successful female driven computer animated films such as Inside Out and Brave - is in its formulaic structure, which, even though it manages to charm, is simply lacking in real surprises.
Nevertheless, Ballerina (its alleged title in American theaters will be Leap!) is an imaginative portrayal of a young girl's dreams coming true against all odds, and its impressive animation should make even Pixar and Dreamworks envious. Yes, its visuals really are that good.
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