DANCING ON THE MOON

Even if nobody had ever heard of the Quebec studio Productions la Fete [“Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveler” (13th CIFF, 1989) and “The Flying Sneaker” (17th CIFF)], their reputation could rest on DANCING ON THE MOON alone. IT's that lovely, the one evergreen summer of Maddy Morrison, a 12-year-old farm girl in lower Canada. Her older sister departs for the city, leaving Maddy with a bedroom and childhood fantasies all to herself – until the arrival of flaky but loving Aunt Ruth, come to help tend to Maddy's grandmother. Ruth constantly reminds Maddy that she's growing up, and if the aunt doesn't do the job, then her brothers, girlfriends and pesky boys pick up the slack. Maddy prefers her closest companion, an imaginary dog named Rex, but as tragedy and awareness touch her life Maddy must come to terms with dawning maturity. Thematically comples as it is, DANCING ON THE MOON nonetheless manages to address and delight young viewers, thanks to stop-motion work by “The Flying Sneaker's” Czech animator Bratislav Pojar; meanwhile, adults will marvel at its depth and eloquence.