Charles knows he’s not like other kids. Every day at school, he’s reminded that his life isn’t like that of his classmates. Every day at home, he sees that he doesn’t receive the same care as other children in his neighbourhood. To dodge the unfairness and taunts, Charles imagines a peaceful haven peopled by good-hearted little frogs.

Charles knows he’s not like other kids. Every day at school, he’s reminded that his life isn’t like that of his classmates. Every day at home, he sees that he doesn’t receive the same care as other children in his neighbourhood. To dodge the unfairness and taunts, Charles imagines a peaceful haven peopled by good-hearted little frogs.

The second instalment in a trilogy that started with Paula in 2011, Charles is Dominic Etienne Simard’s first Canada/France co-production, and his second collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada. The project began in 2012, when Dominic Etienne won the SODEC Cours écrire ton court competition. The filmmaker also benefited from an art residency at the Château-Renault in the Loire Valley in France, where he worked with renowned French animator Benoît Chieux.

With finesse and fantasy, Charles reveals the day-to-day life of an ordinary little boy neglected by a sick mother. To flee his harsh reality, Charles,  at the first opportunity, escapes into a parallel world, as strange as it is reassuring, from which he draws the strength to go on. Will someone finally extend a helping hand? How much longer will he have to live like this? What can he hope for as an adult? These questions loom in a visually powerful film that is, foremost, a work of profound humanity and intelligence.

Although, from a technical standpoint, this new film steps away from Dominic Etienne’s previous offerings, it shares a strong visual identity and fragile sensitivity that have become a hallmark of his creative style. The filmmaker once more offers an adaptation that deftly balances shadow and light, raw emotion and soul-searching, play and experimentation. With the same restraint and wisdom as his earlier work, Charles broaches a reality that is complex, misunderstood and often invisible. The viewer absorbs the images one by one, slowly accessing all of the uniqueness of Charles’ world.

Dominic Etienne skilfully explores his story’s timeline, letting things unfold gradually, never rushing them. Aside from the meditative tone steeped in introspection, what strikes most are the murky, textured backgrounds that contrast with the white bodies of the characters, and the emphasis on soundscapes that are at once sombre and engrossing. With his stylized and expressive drawing, distilled and masterfully executed, the filmmaker effectively transcends the need for dialogue. The viewer grasps it all, without ambiguity, making the film all the more powerful.

Through its recurring and symbolic presence, the element of water is revealed as central to the film. At times it is welcoming, soothing and redeeming, shelter for the little amphibians who befriend Charles. At other times, it is disturbing and unpredictable, forming a powerful and oppressive embrace.

http://blog.nfb.ca/blog/2017/09/11/charles-interview-dominic-etienne-simard/