Monday, April 14, 2025

Savages (MSPIFF 44)

    The Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival is a yearly event featuring many great features from around the world.  Learn more about MSP Films and how to submit your feature for next year https://mspfilm.org/




Savages(MSPIFF 44)

Cast: Babette De Coster, Martin Verset,Laetittia Dosch

Writers: Catherine Paille, Claude Barras

Director: Claude Barras

 *** out of Five *'s


An entertaining stop motion animated feature about a young girl who learns about her true family as they help defend their land from deforestation.  Savages will help young children and even some adults learn not to judge anything by just it’s appearance and standing up for what you know is right.

 

Keria(Babette De Coster) has been living with her Father after her mother was killed by a Panther while living with the indigenous Penan people.  Being completely westernized at such a young age.  Keria has very little interest in learning about her heritage.  When her cousin Selai(Martin Verset) from that village comes to visit.  She is dismissive and doesn’t want to be associated with him.  The only thing she loves at this time is an orphaned orangutan whose own mother was shot by land developers.  After Keria gets lost in the forest and is saved by Selai.  She will reunite and learn about the family she has tried to forget  about.

 


Savages comes to us from director Claude Barras who also made the amazing, My Life as a Zucchini in 2016.   This may not be as strong as that movie but it’s a very good story with great voice acting, beautiful animation and a strong message.   It just doesn’t pack the emotional weight his previous film had.   It has a satisfying ending but everything gets resolved much too fast in the third act as there is not much conflict or tension. With that said, there is still a lot of heart and emotion throughout it's run time.



I'm a proud member of the Minnesota Film Critics Association.  Read my bio below.

https://mnfilmcriticsassociation.com/2024/09/25/jasonhemming/




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Savages (MSPIFF 44)

    The Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival is a yearly event featuring many great features from around the world.  Learn more ...