Arco

ARCO is the first feature-length animation by French illustrator Ugo Bienvenu. The film’s titular character is a 10-year-old boy from the future who is so eager to time travel that he sets off on his first solo trip, ignoring the fact that it’s prohibited. The journey doesn’t go exactly as expected and he ends up in a forest in 2075. A lonely, curious girl of the same age called Iris rescues him, takes him home and tends to his wounds. The two children experience an immediate connection, teaching valuable things to each other and forming a strong bond that only grows deeper as they share an unforgettable adventure. With both imagination and credibility, the film depicts the living conditions and structures of two different time periods. In the technologically-dominated landscape of 2075, robots take care of many tasks and the everyday gadgets are not so far from our present reality. Using the image of the rainbow in myriad variations as its principal motif, ARCO is bold and vivid in its visual style. Thematically, this tale about our future societies manages to successfully highlight both the perils of the ecological crisis and the profound, enduring impact of friendship. (Cristina Álvarez López)

YOUNG AUDIENCE SCREENING on October 18: For the first time, the Viennale invites young audiences from ages 8 and up to a screening at a reduced ticket price of € 6! More information here.

Ugo Bienvenu: JELLY SUNDAY (2009, K), JEAN-LUC (2010, K), UNE ÎLE (2012, K), LA FIN DU MONDE (2012, K), MAMAN (2013, K), DOLLY.ZERO (2017, K), L’ENTRETIEN (2019, K)