(courtesy First Showing)
SNAPSHOT
Dog lives in Manhattan and he’s tired of being alone. One day after seeing a commercial on television, he decides to build himself a robot, a companion. Their friendship blossoms, until they become inseparable, to the rhythm of 80’s NYC. One summer night, Dog, with great sadness, is forced to abandon Robot at the beach. Will they ever meet again? Robot Dreams is written and directed by acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Pablo Berger, also director of the films Die Torremolinos Homevideos, Blancanieves, and Abracadabra previously. Adapted from Sara Varon’s graphic novel of the same name. It’s produced by Ibon Cormenzana, Ángel Durández, Ignasi Estapé, Sandra Tapia, Jérôme Vidal, and Pablo Berger. (courtesy First Showing)
It’s odd how animation is still treated as a plaything of kids.
Sure, there are a ton of great cartoons and animated TV/streaming and movies out there, and yes, their key demo is children; but, these same animated creations, and a number of distinctly grown-up takes on the artform too, also come with distinctly adult themes and comedic intent, making them enriching viewing experiences for all kinds of ages.
One film that really ticks these boxes is Robot Dreams, which First Showing described in their 2023 Cannes Film Festival (where is debuted) review as being “as much about loneliness as it about companionship, and how we connect to others and reconnect and grow through relationships – even if they don’t last.”
Celebrating “friendship, its importance, and its fragility”, Robot Dreams is one of those whimsical animated features that comes with a real emotional punch, with the trailer suggesting we likely won’t leave the cinema dry-eyed.
Robot Dreams opens in Australia on 11 April and in U.S. on 24 May (after an Academy Award-qualifying week in late 2023; it is nominated for Best Animated Film at the 2024 Academy Awards).