“Do you remember / The 21st night of September? »
For the delight of our ears, the catchy song Septemberfrom Earth, Wind & Fire, plays multiple times in Robot Dreams. Its tune is even whistled by the protagonists and played on a melancholy piano.
Extract of Septemberfrom Earth, Wind & Fire
Early in the process of writing this dialogue-free animated film, Spanish filmmaker Pablo Berger (Blancanieves, Abracadabra) chose this 1978 disco hit for a fun roller skating dance number. It was music supervisor Yuko Harami who pointed out to him that the lyrics echoed the themes of his first animated film.
“Memories are at the heart of the story,” explains the screenwriter and director in a virtual interview. The song also speaks of a relationship that evolves over the seasons, like ours. Additionally, the night of September 21 to 22 marks the transition from summer to fall, a defining moment for Dog and Robot. »
These are the main characters of a New York in the 1980s populated by a crowd of varied animals, illustrating the great diversity of the inhabitants. Despite all these people, Chien feels alone. So much so that he bought an automaton companion. Although the intelligence is artificial, love at first sight is real – “We quickly forget that it is a machine,” Pablo Berger rightly remarks.
The two become inseparable and spend the most beautiful summer in the sparkling Big Apple. To top off the beautiful season, they go to the beach. Hours of happiness in the water and in the sand, however, take their toll on Robot’s gears. Paralyzed, he will lie in front of the sea for months. An even deeper loneliness will experience Chien, who must resolve to wait until summer to find his friend.
IMAGE PROVIDED BY ENTRACT FILMS
Robot and Dog in the streets of New York
“It’s a work for everyone, but the interpretation varies depending on age and life experience,” says Pablo Berger. Children recognize themselves in it by thinking of their friends and those who have moved or no longer go to the same school, while adults will see it as a love story in troubled times. The role of memories in overcoming the loss of a loved one is another aspect that older people notice. »
From boxes to the big screen
The broad outlines – and the pencil lines – of this beautiful story about the fragility of relationships were first drawn by the American author Sara Varon in her book published by Square Fish which gave its title to the film. “I collect graphic novels without text and I consulted this one for the first time in 2010. When I delved into it again, in 2018, it moved me to tears. During these eight years, I lost my mother and other people. My best friend was gone. I thought about my past relationships and decided to take the book further,” says Pablo Berger.
PHOTO JUTHARAT PINYODOONYACHET, THE NEW YORK TIMES ARCHIVES
Filmmaker Pablo Berger on the red carpet of the 96e Oscar ceremony, in Los Angeles, on March 10
The filmmaker emphasizes having preserved “the soul of the story” by recounting the events episodically over a period of one year, from September to September. “The book is like an acoustic piece, like a piano solo, while the film is a symphony played by an orchestra,” he maintains.
While the city imagined by Sara Varon was anonymous, Pablo Berger made Dog and Robot inhabitants of New York. “I lived there for 10 years, after getting a scholarship to do a master’s degree in film at NYU. I wanted this film to be a love letter to this city that was the capital of the world in the 1980s and 1990s.”
To materialize nostalgia, the friendly animals wear the fashion of the time and drive vehicles to match. They stroll through the long streets and avenues to the sound of splendid melodic jazz. “It’s New York, it must have been jazz full of emotion!” » Pablo Berger qualifies Robot Dreams of musical comedy as the score by Alfonso de Vilallonga is omnipresent. “In a film without dialogue, the music is the voice of the characters,” he believes.
Only praise
Since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 21, 2023, Robot Dreams is acclaimed wherever he goes. It won several awards, including Best Film at the prestigious Annecy Animated Film Festival. It was also nominated for the Oscars last March.
IMAGE PROVIDED BY ENTRACT FILMS
Dog and Robot, the two characters of Robot Dreams
” It’s not only a robot’s dream [le rêve d’un robot], it is that of every director, notes Pablo Berger. See Thierry Frémaux [délégué général du Festival de Cannes] presenting my film to an international audience was incredible. The recognition in Annecy, Toronto and all the other festivals makes me very happy, but I am especially happy that they help my film to be seen by a wider audience. »
Still here, September and its joyful nostalgic refrain apply to Pablo Berger’s last year.
“Say, do you remember?” / Ba-dee-ya / Dancin’in September / Ba-dee-ya / Never was a cloudy day. »
In theaters in Montreal on June 7, in Quebec on June 14 and elsewhere in the province on June 21