This animated film, an inventive adaptation of Georges Bizet’s opera Carmen, colors the original’s tragic love and sensual charisma with freedom, solidarity, and hope, pushing its painterly appeal to the fullest. The story unfolds in nineteenth-century Andalusia, Spain, the region where flamenco, born of the sorrows and joys of the Roma people, first emerged. Salva, a wandering boy, arrives there with his teacher, an old blind knife-sharpener who can see the future. There, Salva falls in love at first sight with Carmen, a captivating Roma woman. But his teacher sees a vision of Carmen’s death in the blade of Jose, a soldier, and Salva and the street children join forces to prevent her tragic fate. What makes this film distinctive is that, rather than centering on the doomed romance between Carmen and Jose, it sings of hope through the children living in the streets of Seville. As seen in the director’s previous work Chicken for Linda!, the bold color palette and vigorous linework are irresistibly compelling.
A French animation director and illustrator, Sébastien Laudenbach has directed some ten shorts and a series of animated poetry films, earning recognition at major festivals including Annecy, Cannes, and Clermont-Ferrand. His feature debut, The Girl Without Hands (2016), established his distinctive "broken line" style, and was invited to Cannes′ ACID section and nominated for a César. Co-directed with Chiara Malta, Chicken for Linda! (2023) swept more than 40 awards, including the Cristal for Best Feature at Annecy, the César for Best Animated Film, a Lumière Award, and the European Youth Film Award, once again proving his gift for handling loss and grief with a light and warm touch. His latest film, Viva Carmen, a reimagining of Georges Bizet′s opera Carmen seen through the eyes of street children, had its world premiere at the 2026 Cannes Directors′ Fortnight before screening in competition at Annecy, earning widespread critical acclaim for its fresh, feminist-inflected take on the Carmen story.
From Busan International Film Festival 2026, No. 31
