Every year, there’s always a film I end up missing that I really wish I had caught before putting together my top 10 list. This time around, it’s Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, the French/Belgian animated film that’s up for the Best Animated Feature Oscar. It’s a 77-minute animated gem, so ethereal and mesmerizing, showing the world through the perspective of a two-year-old girl who thinks she’s God. Directed by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han, the story is based on Belgian author Amélie Nothomb’s autobiographical book.

I was instantly captivated by the breathtaking hand-drawn animation in an impressionistic style. Almost every scene in this film is worthy of being framed; I found myself yelling at the screen, wishing I could capture certain moments and display them on my wall. The version you can rent on Prime Video is the dubbed English one, but I really wish I could have experienced the original French version. Personally, I always prefer watching films in their original language with subtitles over any dubbed version. That being said, the English voice cast does a commendable job, with Lily Gilliam narrating as Amélie and Lucille Ainsworth voicing Amélie’s lines.

The story revolves around Amélie, who was born in a vegetative state in Japan during the 1960s. However, on her second birthday, after an earthquake, she somehow starts moving around freely. The character design is adorable; Amélie has large, expressive green eyes, a small mouth, and wavy hair… plus, the other characters also display unique, racially diverse traits. This is especially significant since Amélie’s family hails from Belgium, while her nanny, Nishio-san (voiced by Francesca Calo), is Japanese. At first glance, the story seems like a simple coming-of-age tale, but it turns out to be deeper than I anticipated.

The script, credited to Vallade, Han, Aude Py, and Eddine Noël, skillfully balances the joy of childhood exploration with the sorrow and pain of losing someone. It even touches on the lingering trauma from WWII and questions the concept of nationalism, illustrated through the conflict between Nishio-san and Amélie’s family’s landlord, Kashima-san (Page Leong). The bond between Amélie and her nanny is truly the highlight; it reminds me a bit of the sweet French drama Àma Gloria. I love the scene where Nishio-san shows Amélie how to write her name in Japanese kanji by tracing the character for rain on a fogged-up window. It’s a beautiful, profound scene that’s repeated effectively from another angle.

Collaborating with artistic director Aiden Noël, I read that Vallade and Han spent over seven years making this film a reality. Produced by French animation studios Maybe Movies and Ikki Films, the animation is artistically and technically impressive. I love the rotoscope technique used in this film, where they trace over live-action footage frame by frame to create soft, realistic, fluid movement. It truly brings the story to life in such a beautiful way, turning everyday moments of growing up into something truly enchanting. I love how the colors alternate from moody to vibrant, reflecting the characters’ emotional ups and downs.

Little Amélie is one of the most charming animated films in recent memory, a magical celebration of the preciousness of childhood memories. It’s deservedly been raking up all kinds of accolades, including an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature Film. Just like last year’s Flow, it’s great to see smaller animation studios competing with big ones like Disney/Pixar. It’s currently available to rent on Prime or Letterboxd. I highly recommend it!

Have you seen Little Amélie? Let me know your thoughts!