IRON BOY World Cinema

Eleven-year-old Christophe lives with his older brother, kind mother and stern father on an aging farm in France that has seen better days. Christophe is eager to help, but when the young lad suddenly starts tipping over and losing balance, he nearly causes a tractor accident, straining an already tense relationship with his dad. One medical exam later and Christophe is outfitted with an uncomfortable iron brace to keep him upright, which makes his already difficult life even more unbearable. Then Christophe’s life starts to transform yet again when he develops a crush on a rebellious teen girl and learns to play the pipe organ courtesy of the church’s gentle organist. French animator Louis Clichy, known for his work in the art departments of WALL-E and UP and directing a pair of computer animated Asterix and Obelix films, turns to traditional hand-drawn animation for the touching tale of a boy finding his footing in the world. The beautiful watercolor drawings render the characters and locales in stunning detail and serve as imaginative vehicles for more fantastical elements when Christophe develops the uncanny ability to tip the world over when he unlocks his neck from the brace. These inspiring visuals are buoyed by superb audio, both from the spectacular cast (including Clichy’s son Gary in the lead role) and the enveloping classical musical. Winner of the Special Jury Prize in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section, IRON BOY is a fun — funny — and all-ages story that is an absolute joy to watch. –Javier Chavez