On occasion, we tend to encounter the kind of film that builds the viewer up to feel a happiness rarely experienced, and then subsequently dismantles all of it as we plunge into the depths of despair after having encountered a story that is as uplifting as it is deeply upsetting. There’s a reason why the majority of audiences refuse to watch films that have any form of harm come to an animal, since our relationship with these creatures normally tends to supersede interest in our own species. Anca Damian appeared to be fully aware of this fact, since Marona’s Fantastic Tale (French: L’extraordinaire Voyage de Marona) is the exact kind of film that burrows its way into the viewer’s heart, taking up residence and giving us something so delightful to sit through, and then leaving us absolutely emotionally annihilated by the end of it. You’d be hard-pressed to exit this film without the tears welling up inside (if they haven’t already emerged, causing a puddle to trail behind you), but even beyond the fact that this is a film that plays on your emotions and takes us on a journey that is far-less pleasant than we’d hope, Marona’s Fantastic Tale is truly a delightful film. In terms of form, it is an absolute marvel, one of the most gorgeous animated films to be produced over the past few years, with the effort that went into creating this film rivalling that of any of the major studios. In terms of the narrative, it is a heartfelt, meaningful demonstration of life as it is, channelled through the trials and tribulations of an adorable dog who is as lovable as she is profoundly interesting as a protagonist. For these reasons – and many others – it’s not difficult to imagine why, despite its downbeat context, Marona’s Fantastic Tale is such a cherished work of modern animated filmmaking that proves how the most effective stories come in the most unassuming packages.

We’ve seen the trope of the “talking animal on a journey” movie – entertaining but otherwise uninspiring films that focus on a specific creature (most commonly a dog), following them from their infancy to the end of their lives, tracing their journey between different owners and the various experiences they encounter along the way. These are incredibly popular films, since they touch on resonant issues and strum on the heartstrings of any empathetic viewer (especially those with pets of their own), but they’re rarely ever good, with the exception of a few notable examples that are few and far between. Marona’s Fantastic Tale is certainly amongst this category of works that actually take an artistically-resonant stance, and manage to make something out of a common story. Damian is a profoundly gifted filmmaker, and her style is one that may not necessarily pander to the mainstream in a traditional sense – and in her feature-length animation debut (after flirting with a variety of other means of filmmaking in various genres and differing in length), she makes a legitimate case as a director with a very specific vision that we’d be amiss to not pay attention to. It goes in many different directions, and may sometimes come across as being too intent on conveying a particular sentiment – after all, it does do the common trope of beginning with the final moments of the film, and requesting that the audience stand back and allow the titular character to “rewind the story of [her] life” – but it doesn’t come across as inauthentic for a single moment, each of the many wonderful sequences in this film feeling thoroughly genuine and fully-formed, even more so than those who have attempted similar stories in the realm of live-action, which makes a profound difference here.

This is an audacious project in both form and content, and its striking beauty is certainly part-and-parcel of the experience, but once we have immersed ourselves in this world, and are able to truly appreciate the peculiar but wonderful approach taken in telling this story, which is very much grounded in reality more than being a folly of fantasy and absurdism (as we’d expect from a film of this nature). It’s this fervent commitment to realism that makes Marona’s Fantastic Tale such an exquisite piece of filmmaking, since the story itself is not anything revolutionary – it follows the life of the titular character, from her conception to her final tragic moments, showing how her life bounded between many different owners, some of whom cared more for her than others. This very simple approach allows Damian to explore the more surreal curiosities she had by employing it through the animation. Employing a multimodal format that sampled from innumerable art styles and conventions, the film is composed of a dazzling array of images that will leave the viewer absolutely exhilarated. Each frame is brimming with gorgeous detail that captivates our attention, to the point where we have to forcibly realign ourselves with the narrative, since it’s so easy to become distracted by the splendour of the film. No two single frames of Marona’s Fantastic Tale look the same, and considering how it was clearly a labour of love that took an enormous amount of effort, we can truly appreciate the work that went into bringing this film to life. The world of contemporary animation seems to be unfairly dominated by a few major studios, so whenever an alternative (such as in this case GKIDS, a notorious ally to smaller animators and their work) brings out something new, there is a palpable sense of excitement, since we know that what we’re about to witness is a handcrafted masterpiece, rather than a purely commercial endeavour – and when the work is as strong as this, it makes very little difference that it may be so unabashedly vehement in its disdain for conventions.

It doesn’t take long for Marona’s Fantastic Tale to confirm that it is something of a masterpiece. It’s a tricky situation to assert such a title on the film, since there’s a tendency to proclaim any work that deviates from the norm (particularly those in a genre that doesn’t normally celebrate independence from the mainstream) as such, when in actuality we’re equating originality with quality. Yet absolutely every aspect of this film is phenomenal – the animation is stunning, and the story is absolutely gorgeous (even if it is utterly heartbreaking, and I’d caution any potential viewer to be aware of the fact that this film plunges some harrowing depths that may be uncomfortable for those who may be slightly more sensitive – but it’s nothing that is going to scar one for life). However, even the peripheral elements are staggering – the score by Pablo Pico is incredible, and voice acting by the cast of hardworking character actors lends even more ethereal veracity to this wonderful work. We may have encountered similar stories to the one embedded in Marona’s Fantastic Tale, but we’d struggle to find a work nearly as strikingly beautiful, as well as deeply compassionate about a range of significant issues that may not be expected in as intimate a film as this. By the end of this film, you’ll be struck by a range of incredible emotions, all of which are valid and necessary – and while our hearts may be shattered, there’s a hope pulsating throughout Marona’s Fantastic Tale that means so much more in the context of the story the film is telling, and if one can look beyond the curtain of tears, you’d find a truly revelatory film that has many functions – it’s a touching story about family, a beautiful exploration of individuality (even if the narrative centres on a dog), and more than anything else, it dares to be a steadfast celebration of life and many of its challenges, making this is absolutely essential work and a true masterpiece.