AFFFF26: Little Amelie or the Character of Rain

AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

Amélie et la métaphysique des tubes

Amélie, a little Belgian girl born in Japan, spends her early years trapped within her own body: until she is two and a half, she sees herself as a simple “tube,” unable to act or express her feelings. In her innocence, she believes herself at the center of the world, almost divine, watched by adults who try to pierce her silence.

Everything changes on her third birthday. A single piece of white chocolate sparks a breathtaking transformation: the child awakens to life. Light, fear, joy, sounds, and words surge within her like a burst of discovery.

Amélie learns language, explores her family, and the paradise-like garden surrounding her home, as well as her first passions and aversions. Guided by her friend Nishio-san, every moment becomes an adventure, every feeling a revelation.

Japan in the 1960s emerges in vibrant colours and delicate textures, reflecting Amélie’s emotions and her innocent, naïve, and wide-eyed perspective. This adaptation of Amélie Nothomb’s short novel celebrates the transition from early childhood to childhood, and the awakening of a mind marveling at the beauty of the world.

Festival de Cannes 2025 | Official Selection
Academy Awards 2026 | Nominee: Best Animated Feature