December 15 & 16, 2012 at the Aero Theatre

In the last decade, French animation has produced such gems as THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE, PERSEPOLIS and last year’s A CAT IN PARIS (all of which earned Oscar nominations). The American Cinematheque proudly presents three new films in this grand tradition of distinctively drawn visuals paired with unusual stories. In ZARAFA, a boy bonds with his giraffe buddy on adventures which bring them to Alexandria, Marseilles, the Alps and beyond. Set in Mediterranean Africa, THE RABBI’S CAT gives its owner an earful about life, love and religion when it miraculously begins to talk. THE PAINTING illustrates the cost of discrimination while at the same time offering a playful take on the artistic process. The program also includes the short films “Dripped” and “Tram.”

All three features are released by GKIDS, a distributor of award-winning filmed entertainment specializing in animation for both adult and family audiences. The company has scored three Best Animated Feature Oscar nominations in the past three years, with THE SECRET OF KELLS in 2010 and both A CAT IN PARIS and CHICO & RITA in 2012