The Illusionist (2009 film)

"The Illusionist" is the second animated feature film by Sylvain Chomet, the director of "The Triplets of Belleville", expected to be released in 2009. It is being made at his Edinburgh film studio, Django Films by an international group of animators. [ [http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/review.cfm?id=998902006 Scots animation? That rings a belle] (Scotland on Sunday)] It is estimated to cost around £10 million and is being funded by Pathé Pictures.

The film will be based on an unproduced script that the French mime, director and actor Jacques Tati wrote in collaboration with famed screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière between "Mon Oncle" and "Playtime". The script was passed to Chomet by Tati's daughter, Sophie Tatischeff, when Chomet was seeking permission to use a clip from Tati's 1949 film Jour de fête in Les Triplettes de Belleville. Tatischeff suggested an animated film as she did not want an actor to play her father. [ [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/filmandmusic/story/0,,2108032,00.html Chomet's magic touch] (The Guardian)]

The main character will be an animated version of Tati, who will be personally animated by Chomet. The plot revolves around a struggling illusionist who visits an isolated community and meets a young lady who is convinced that he is a real magician. [ [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/filmandmusic/story/0,,2108032,00.html Chomet's magic touch] (The Guardian)] The film will be set in Scotland in the late 1950s. [ [http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/review.cfm?id=998902006 Scots animation? That rings a belle] (Scotland on Sunday)]

The first footage from the film was shown at the 2008 Cannes film festival. [Kemp, Stuart. [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ia6e01d5af9d3596d82e950311c35dc95 Cannes to get glimpse of Pathe's 'Illusionist'] . "Hollywood Reporter". 13-05-2008.]

ee also

*List of animated feature-length films

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0775489|title=The Illusionist
* [http://www.djangofilms.co.uk/ Django Films website] (contains some information about "The Illusionist")
* [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article1380045.ece Cut the Cute] , an article in "The Times" about Europe's animation industry (contains information on the production of "The Illusionist", along with a screenshot)
* [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/filmandmusic/story/0,,2108032,00.html Guardian article about the film]
* [http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/review.cfm?id=998902006 Article about the film and the studio in Scotland Sunday]
* [http://www.articlesandtexticles.co.uk/2007/11/08/sylvain-chomet-on-jacques-tati// Radio Clips] (Interview with Chomet about "The Illusionist")