Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

For Amélie, everything is new and exciting; life is one great adventure, and she watches the world around her with close attention. But on her third birthday, everything changes. In Japan, it is believed that children are still a little divine until the age of three. From that moment on, Amélie becomes an “ordinary” child. She begins to feel emotions, starts to speak, and discovers the garden around the house, the seasons, and the passage of time. Amélie soon realizes that life is not always as perfect as it seems—certainly not for a foreign family in Japan. She also discovers something magical: chocolate has special powers. Little Amélie or the Character of Rain is an adaptation of the book of the same name by Belgian author Amélie Nothomb. The result is a tender and moving story that is visually enchanting and full of surprises. The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and won several awards, including the Audience Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and the award for Best European Film at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.