LONG WAY NORTH/ TOUT EN HAUT DU MONDE

France, France, 2015, 81 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Christopher Ret, Fyodor Atkine, Peter Hudson, Tom Morton.
Directed by Remy Chaye.

This is an international animation film, from France working with Denmark, Belgium and the US. The animation is hand-drawn, bright and beautiful colours, attractive landscapes in Russia and in the Arctic, as well as showing the voyage of the ship and its being caught in the ice.

The setting is St Petersburg, 1882, a young woman with the world before her, is more interested in going to the North, in admiration for her grandfather, an explorer who has disappeared. She makes contact with boats from the North, seems assured of a passage to follow her grandfather’s route, but is deceived by some callous sailors. However, she perseveres, is allowed on board and sets sail.

There is some strong action as she goes through the Arctic snows, the dangers, discoveries, finding out what happened to her grandfather.

This is a film which can interest and entertain adults and younger audiences alike.

1. The title? Travel to the North Pole? Expeditions? Dangers? The 19th century?

2. A French production, English and dubbing? The animation style, the drawing, the characters, the landscapes? The voices, the musical score?

3. The Russian setting, 1882, the czarist era, wealthy families, homes and mansions? Government offices and officials? Ships, icebreakers, snow and weather, the ice, the mountains?

4. The grandfather, his statue and image, his ambitions, his inventions, the ship, going to the North Pole, planting the Russian flag? His bond with his granddaughter? Her admiration, wanting to follow his journey? Having his documents, the plan, the routes for the journey?

5. The setting, social life, parties and dinners, the new minister, his hostility, wanting the grandfather’s reputation removed? His planning? Confrontation of the family, the father and mother, his walking out of the dinner?

6. Sasha, her age, upset, getting the documents, deciding to leave home? Her initial travels, her inexperience, her pampered life, her treatment of people’s servants?

7. Going to the ship, the encounter with the young man, his promises, the money? Her returning to the hotel, the discussions, the ship sailing, her regrets? Losing her money, studying, working at the hotel, the kindly woman, her working heartily at prospering?

8. The return of the icebreaker, the Captain, the story, reprimanding his brother? The invitation to find the grandfather? The government reward money? The captain, reluctance, changing his mind, setting sail? The route followed? Sasha and her offering the alternate?

9. The details of the voyage, sailing, weather, her going up the mast, the ice, trapped? The response of the sailors?

10. The decision to go on land, the captain and his injury, his being carried, telling them to go ahead, his brother, leadership, the mountains and the difficulties?

11. The sighting of the ship, going to the ship, the grandfather, frozen?

12. The achievement? Its place in Russian history? Portrait of a heroic young girl?