Directed by Albert Lamorisse • 1952 • France
Starring Alain Emery, Laurent Roche, Clan-Clan
Possessed of the timeless perfection of a fable, this tale about the unique bond between children and animals is Albert Lamorisse’s ode to the awe-inspiring majesty of nature. Amid the vast flatlands of the Camargue in the South of France lives White Mane, a magnificent wild stallion who refuses to be broken by men and instead forms a connection with a young boy, with whom he embarks on a daring quest for freedom. Fully capturing the rugged beauty of its marsh setting, this extraordinarily photographed treasure of children’s cinema—which won the Grand Prix for Best Short Film at the Cannes Film Festival—speaks to the hearts of all creatures yearning to live untamed.
Up Next in Animal Shorts
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The Magic Horse
Directed by Lotte Reiniger • 1953 • United Kingdom
Lotte Reiniger returns to the character of Prince Achmed for this “Arabian Nights”–inspired fantasy in which our hero takes off on a flying horse.
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Les escargots
Directed by René Laloux • 1966 • France
FANTASTIC PLANET was not the first collaboration between writer-director René Laloux and illustrator Roland Topor. Presented here is a short film they made together in the mid-1960s: LES ESCARGOTS.
