The Little Prince

Emotional, iconic, nostalgic

A touching journey of a child in an adult world, taught to remember that no matter how old you get, you mustn’t forget being a child.

A child, trained for adulthood by her mother meets her eccentric old neighbour who, much like her, seeks out a friend, the Aviator. He shares his story with her, to remind her that growing up doesn’t mean forgetting.

This film is one that hit me hard personally, having lost my grandad a year ago, a man who always new the value of connecting with a child, and the child inside himself. My grandad was my Aviator. This film really brings forth a lot of things about life we don’t like to admit we dislike. For the young and old, we all hate the idea of growing up. Of forgetting the innocence, imagination and freedom of being a child and being resigned to a grey life of work, order and efficiency.

With soft animation juxtaposed with, how I would describe, tissue paper stop motion, to represent the beloved book the two protagonists share. The bright vivid colours of their world against the grey of the grown up world, brings to life a story about a story. It is a heart wrencher. Along with the hard truth of forgetting ones happiness in work, it also addresses letting go of a person, letting go of love and letting go of life. It is told in a way so beautiful and touching you are bound to remember it forever.

This is a film I hope will be popular but feel it will probably fall behind the blockbuster animation films. Nevertheless, I feel it is one that is essential to see, to experience. I feel his film could have a different meaning depending on the age of the viewer, as it can be seen from all sides and the message remains pure, memorable and beautiful.

‘It is only when we see with the heart that we see rightly’

#thelittleprince #film