Director Sylvain Chomet
First shown 2003, Cert 12
With the help of three elderly singing sisters and a dog, Madame Souza sets out to rescue her grandson.
Story
When her grandson, Champion, is kidnapped by the French mafia during the Tour de France, Madame Souza and her dog Bruno head to Belleville to rescue him. There they meet the Triplets of Belleville, singers from the 1930s, who join them on this rescue mission…
Why we chose it
An eccentric, surreal, grotesque and original animated film with strong visual storytelling and limited dialogue.
Where it came from
Most of the characters in the film were inspired by people the director Sylvain Chomet knew or encountered. For example, the triplets are inspired by his grandmother and Champion is based on a mechanic Chomet met. The city of Belleville is based on a combination of Paris, New York and Montreal. Celebrities including Django Reinhardt, Josephine Baker and Fred Astaire are referenced in the film too.
Where it went next
The film was nominated for two Academy Awards—Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for “Belleville Rendez-vous”. The film is also parodied in the episode “Angry Dad: The Movie” from The Simpsons, which features “The Brothers of Beauville”, who are three French brothers who each snort cheese, grapes and matchsticks up their noses!
Director Sylvain Chomet
First shown 2003, Cert 12