The Crossing

Mixing realism and myth, this award-winning film uses a unique animation technique to tell the story of two war-torn siblings with beauty, light and hope.

Thirteen-year-old Kyona and her younger brother, Adriel, flee their unnamed European village in the darkness of night when persecuting forces threaten their lives. Separated from their parents, the siblings become refugees, seeking shelter and safety as they journey across the border into another country. Along the way, they face dangers and find friends; all the while, Kyona records the faces and stories of the people they encounter as drawings in her sketchbook.

In this extraordinary debut feature, prolific shorts director Florence Miailhe employs an animation method she has long used, applying oil paint by hand to glass, which creates gorgeously open, fluid images. Bold colour choices lend an almost fairytale feel to the sombre subject matter of war and genocide – a reminder that the events are being filtered through the eyes and mind of a child. Winner of Annecy’s Jury Distinction and awards at the Bucheon, Torino and Warsaw film festivals, The Crossing is a visionary, deeply felt and timely tale of courage and survival.