Author: Stefan Pape

When Eric Summer and Éric Warin’s animation Ballerina begins, you wouldn’t be blamed for wanting to get up and leave after five minutes. A cheaply devised opening act that introduces what appears to be the most infuriatingly optimistic of protagonists should set the precedence for a film that continues in such an unbearable fashion, but as we progress the unwavering enthusiasm of the lead role becomes somewhat infectious, and as she grows on us, in turn so does the movie, and by the end it’s hard not to be caught up in the charm of this enchanting piece of cinema.

Set in 1879, the aforementioned character is Félicie Milliner (Elle Fanning), an orphan who wants nothing more than to escape to Paris and fulfil her dreams of becoming a ballerina. Alongside her best friend Victor (Dane DeHaan), the pair find themselves in the capital, and...