Michel Ocelot

**Michel Ocelot** was born on October 27, 1943 in Villefranche-sur-Mer. He is a French director known for his work in animated films, especially his trilogy of films about _Kirikou_ made between 1998 and 2012.

He is also the writer and director of the triptych _Princes and Princesses_ (2000) / _Tales of the Night_ (2011) / _Ivan Tsarevitch and the Changing Princess_ (2016), created using Cut-out animation. He won awards for _Azur and Asmar_ (2006) and _Dilili in Paris_ (2018), which earned him the 2019 César for Best Animated Film.

### Early Life and Short Films (1980s)

Born in Villefranche-sur-Mer, on the French Riviera, he spent his childhood in Conakry, Guinea, and his teenage years in Angers, after Guinea gained independence in 1958. He later moved to Paris.

He first studied at the Rouen School of Fine Arts, then at the National School of Decorative Arts in Paris, and finally at the California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles.

Initially, he experimented with animation as an amateur, making various short films with friends during vacations. Everyone used the techniques they preferred, resulting in a variety of creations with simple methods. He used cut-out paper, a technique he later employed in the series _Ciné Si_ (The Factory, 1989). He aimed to create his works as simply as possible.

In 1976, he directed the series _The Adventures of Gédéon_ (based on Benjamin Rabier), followed by his first professionally produced short film, _The Three Inventors_, in 1979. This was produced by AAA, who also worked with Jacques Rouxel, the creator of the Shadoks. That same year, he received a BAFTA award in London for this film.

In 1983, he won the César Award for Best Animated Short Film for _The Legend of the Poor Hunchback_, also produced by AAA.

### Feature Films and Success (1990s-2000s)

In 1994, Michel Ocelot was elected president of the Association internationale du film d'animation (ASIFA) for two terms.

In 1998, he released his first feature film, _Kirikou and the Sorceress_. Based on an African tale, the film tells the story of Kirikou, a tiny boy with great intelligence and generosity, who opposes the witch Karaba, who terrorizes the village. The film is inspired by West African cultures in its story, visuals, music, and voice acting. It was critically acclaimed, winning around thirty awards worldwide and attracting over one million viewers in French theaters This led to books and merchandise based on the film and showcased French animation's talent globally.

In 2000, he introduced a more experimental project, _Princes and Princesses_, which features six tales told through shadow puppetry made with cut paper.

To celebrate "World Animation Day," Ocelot participated in an event on October 28, 2003, demonstrating his animation techniques live at Forum des Images in Paris.

In 2005, he collaborated with Bénédicte Galup on the much-anticipated sequel _Kirikou and the Wild Beasts_. This film tells stories that occur alongside the events of the first film. Critically, it was well-received, and its theatrical release was more widespread, achieving greater commercial success than the original.

For his fourth feature, he created an original project: _Azur and Asmar_. With a larger budget, this film marked a shift to computer-generated imagery (CGI). Set in medieval Europe, it teaches children about tolerance, although the director does not see this as the main theme of his works. Released in 2006, it was another commercial and critical success, attracting over 1.5 million viewers in theaters. The film won the 2007 César for Best Original Music.

Also that year, Ocelot directed a music video for Björk for her song _Earth Intruders_ from the album _Volta_, incorporating many traditional West African themes, similar to those in _Kirikou_.

### Recognition (2010s)

In 2008, he received an international award, the Klingsor Prize (for his lifetime achievement) at the Bratislava Animation Biennial (BAB).

In 2010, he created the fantasy animated series _Dragons and Princesses_ for the Canal+ Family channel, using cut-paper techniques similar to those in _Princes and Princesses_. The following year, he adapted these ten episodes into a feature film titled _Tales of the Night_. The film only gathered about 500,000 admissions, but it received several nominations at Berlinale 2011. He also received the Henri-Langlois Prize that year for his entire body of work.

The following year, he concluded his trilogy with _Kirikou and the Men and Women_. As the title suggests, this film focuses on villagers instead of animals, as in the second film. Technically, the filmmaker enhanced 2D animation with 3D technology. Originally, this project was envisioned as a six-episode animated series for France Télévisions.

At the end of 2018, he released his fifth animated feature, _Dilili in Paris_, about a young Kanak girl in Paris during the Belle Époque. While the film presents a visually imagined Paris with the heroine meeting notable figures of that era, it also addresses serious themes like colonialism and racism. The film attracted over 600,000 spectators and won the César Award for Best Animated Film in 2019.

#### Short Films

- 1979: _The Three Inventors_
- 1981: _The Girls of Equality_
- 1982: _The Legend of the Poor Hunchback_
- 1987: _The Four Wishes_
- 1992: _Tales of the Night_: _Dancing Shepherdess_ - _The Beautiful Girl and the Sorcerer_ - _The Prince of Jewels_
- 2020: _Pablo Paris Satie_ (live-action), part of the Paris National Opera's La 3e Scène collection

#### Feature Films

- 1998: _Kirikou and the Sorceress_ (won many awards)
- 2000: _Princes and Princesses_
- 2005: _Kirikou and the Wild Beasts_
- 2006: _Azur and Asmar_
- 2011: _Tales of the Night_
- 2012: _Kirikou and the Men and Women_
- 2016: _Ivan Tsarevitch and the Changing Princess_
- 2018: _Dilili in Paris_
- 2022: _The Pharaoh, the Savage and the Princess_

#### TV Series

- 1976: _The Adventures of Gédéon_
- 1983: _The Insensitive Princess_
- 1989: _Ciné Si_
- 2010: _Dragons and Princesses_

### Music Videos

- 2007: _Earth Intruders_ by Björk

### Honors

- 1981 BAFTAs: BAFTA for Best Animated Film for _The Three Inventors_
- Albi Festival 1981: Jury Special Prize for _The Girls of Equality_
- 1983 César: César for Best Animated Short Film for _The Legend of the Poor Hunchback_
- Bratislava Animation Biennial 2008: Klingsor Prize for his entire body of work
- Henri-Langlois Prize 2011 for Animated Film and Animated Image, for his entire body of work
- 2019 César: César for Best Animated Film for _Dilili in Paris_
- Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2022: Honorary Crystal

### Decorations

- Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters: promoted to commander on .
- Knight of the Legion of Honor: awarded knight status by decree on  for 33 years of artistic work.

### Bibliography

- Luce Vigo and Catherine Shapira, _Kirikou and the Sorceress of Michel Ocelot_, Les Enfants de cinéma, collection “Carnets de notes sur…”, 2000, 40 p.
- Xavier Kawa-Topor, _Princes and Princesses of Michel Ocelot_, Les Enfants de cinéma, collection “Carnets de notes sur…”, 2003, 40 p.
- Nathan Bonvallet, _Michel Ocelot, the Poet of Shadows_, Third, 2022, 200 p.

## Other websites

- Short biography on the _La Fabrique_ website
- Short biography on Arte's _Court-Circuit_

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Michel Ocelot
- **image**: Michel Ocelot 2019.jpg
- **caption**: Michel Ocelot at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2019.
- **birth date**: October 27, 1943
- **birth place**: Villefranche-sur-Mer, Alpes-Maritimes, France
- **nationality**: French
- **profession**: Director
- **notable films**: _Kirikou and the Sorceress_
_Princes and Princesses_
_Azur and Asmar_
_Dilili in Paris_