A vivid tribal treat

Michael Ocelot's enchanting animated film finally gets an exhibition after being held up since 1999. Inspired by West African folk tales, it has been the subject of nonsensical controversy over its depiction of native village women in general and their bare breasts in particular.

Ordered by the film's producers to draw in bikini tops to preserve the modesty of the animated characters, Ocelot refused and we are now able to see the film in its unadulterated form. And what a delight it is.

It is the tale of baby Kirikou, a child so precocious he demands to come out of his mother before his birth is due and soon proceeds to quiz the villagers on a number of matters. High on his list is the disappearance of all the adult males, who have apparently been eaten by the Sorceress Karaba, who is wreaking havoc on the village by drying up its source of water.

Before long, Kirikou has set off to confront Karaba and her army of fetishes and try to find the true cause of her malevolent behaviour.

Beautifully drawn and coloured, Ocelot's movie is an exemplar of how to integrate indigenous art, symbolism and language without patronising or debasing the original material. The vivid, primary hues and the African/Egyptian design have much in common with oddly alarming children's books like The Little Black Quibba and the paintings of Chris Ofili, and the inclusion of a specially commissioned soundtrack by Youssou N'Dour heightens the atmosphere created by the film's well-limned graphics.

There is a sly humour and open sexuality evident throughout, which is tremendously refreshing after a steady diet of prurience in the animated movies of Disney or Dreamworks, and the simple songs brilliantly convey themes of heroism and envy over Kirikou's exploits. "Kirikou small in size/But he is very wise" chant the villagers before reverting to their customary stance of dismissing the kid as a pain-in-the-arse baby who talks too much. The red-eyed fetishes (who turn out to be something else entirely), blinking in exasperation at Kirikou's chutzpah, are, for some reason, howlingly funny.

Strange, sexy, mythical, direct and extraordinarily vivid, this is an animated movie to cherish.

Kirikou And The Sorceress
Cert: U