The animated films of director Ari Folman aren’t what anyone would call family fun entertainment. Waltz with Bashir and The Congress are thought-provoking exercises that look at memory, war, and identity from a broad perspective, and they are both worth rewatching to pick up on more ideas. We’ll be able to say the same about Folman’s latest, Where Is Anne Frank?, which looks at the young girl’s story in a way that has never been done before.
So what makes this version of Anne Frank’s tragic but inspiring story so different? Well, as seen in the new trailer, it’s told from the perspective of Anne’s imaginary friend, Kitty. But don’t let that fool you into thinking it will be childish. Not at all. Anne’s final days hidden away from the Nazis are accounted for, as well as her impact on the world today.
This looks truly powerful and I can’t wait to see the latest from Folman. Where is Anne Frank? will premiere at Cannes later this week. I can easily see this being a return to Oscar-nominated glory after more than a decade.
Kitty, the imaginary friend of Anne, is desperate to prove that her best friend is still alive. Kitty is a child of today, she’s wild, smart, tough, nervy,unfettered; she flees the Anne Frank House, steals the diary and sets out on the most difficult journey of all: discovering Anne’s fate after she and her family were caught by the Gestapo.
