Verdict
Summary
Written and directed by Jean-Fracois Laguionie, Gwen, the Book of Sand is a highly unusual French animated film that runs about 60 minutes. The animated style is beautiful, but not very fluid, and there are stretches of scenes where the camera pans across the desert where characters remain stationary. What makes this a really special viewing experience is how the nomads are shown barely holding onto life by milking every well for every drop of water, and their culture looks interesting. They get around the desert by walking on long wood pole sticks, and they drift through life by telling stories and looking to the skies for answers. It’s fascinating.
Plot:
In a desolate world, a girl named Gwen defies her people to make her own way.
Review:
After a years-long storm turns the world into a barren desert, a tiny faction of humanity live as nomads within the dunes of an endless sea of sand. A 173-year old woman known as Nokmoon tells the tale of Makou – the Keeper of the Sand Language – and the young orphan girl named Gwen, who comes into her settlement to shake up their cultures and traditions. Gwen, who is supposed to be the sacrifice to Makou as payment for survival, defies their offering, and Nokmoon takes her place, which upsets the balance the nomads (who worship the “scriptures” of a giant store catalogue) have maintained by pure ignorance.
Written and directed by Jean-Fracois Laguionie, Gwen, the Book of Sand is a highly unusual French animated film that runs about 60 minutes. The animated style is beautiful, but not very fluid, and there are stretches of scenes where the camera pans across the desert where characters remain stationary. What makes this a really special viewing experience is how the nomads are shown barely holding onto life by milking every well for every drop of water, and their culture looks interesting. They get around the desert by walking on long wood pole sticks, and they drift through life by telling stories and looking to the skies for answers. It’s fascinating.
Long unavailable on hard media, Deaf Crocodile saves this film from obscurity and has just put it on Blu-ray, which is a treasure in itself. Animation aficionados and fans of post-apocalyptic world cinema absolutely must own this film, as it enriches and feeds the mind and the craving for anyone who thinks they’ve seen everything.
Bonus Materials
- New video interview with director Jean-François Laguionie, moderated by Dennis Bartok of Deaf Crocodile. (In French with simultaneous English translation).
- New video essay by Ryan Verrill (The Disc Connected) and Dr. Will Dodson.
- New commentary by film historian Samm Deighan.
- Blu-ray authoring by David Mackenzie of Fidelity In Motion.
- New art by Beth Morris.
- First ever U.S. Blu-ray release for the film.
