Kirikou et la sorcière / Kirikou and the Sorceress

Kirikou is a French animated film with a difference. It is set in pre-colonial tribal Africa, all its characters are black and in keeping with the traditional garb of the region, the women are mostly topless and the kids are mostly nekkid. While these are the attributes that immediately hit viewers who have been brought up on a diet of politically-correct-think-of-the-children works, they quickly shift into the background. What we are left with is a cute fable of Kirikou, a "pre-born" (a Dune reference) infant who rescues his village from the clutches of a sorceress.

The characters do not really have much depth and it is probably intentional as the story is presented like a fairy tale. There are no real surprises anywhere, but it is fun watching Kirikou conjuring up innovative solutions to each problem that he faces. It can get a little repetitive after a while. But the setting and the film's uniqueness make up for it very well.

Recommended viewing.