Annecy 2018 – "Gatta Cenerentola": a modern adaptation of Cinderella carried by a talented quartet that marks the return of Italy in animation

Ivan Cappiello, Alessandro Rak, Marino Guarnieri and Dario Sansone propose with Gatta Cenerentola, literally Cinderella, the cat, a feature film in competition offering a futuristic and clever vision of Cinderella's tale. 

A modernized Cinderella

If the story of Cinderella is well known and has been adapted countless times, this version offers some well-felt ideas, not only in the context, but also in the unfolding of the plot. In the not-too-distant future, the corrupt city of Naples is about to host a revolutionary and visionary project spearheaded by the sumptuous ship Megaride. It has the particularity of observing everything that happens on board and reacting to different situations with holograms. While his wealthy owner has just married the sublime Angelica, he is murdered, leaving a grieving wife and Mia, a three-year-old girl orphaned. 

Fifteen years later, the city is in total decay, all plans for the future have fallen by the wayside. The Megaride is a shadow of its former self and Angelica and her six daughters are connected to all the mafia families in the area. Mia, the rightful heiress, is relegated to the role of servant. Traumatized, she has lost her speech and lives surrounded by cats. But now, on the eve of his 18th birthday, the ghosts of the past are about to reappear for better and worse. 

Thus, the already tragic traditional story is mixed with a mafiosi story, all that is more Italian. Drawing on the classics of the ganster genre, the young Cinderella finds herself caught up in interests that go beyond her and helplessly witnesses the most abject misdeeds and the decrepitude of her legacy. 

Italian animation well felt

Alessandra Rak and Dario Sansone had already come to the Annecy festival in 2014 with The Art of Happiness. Now associated with Ivan Cappiello and Marino Guarnieri, they manage to offer a story full of surprises and good ideas from a classic known to all. The main characters, Premio, Angelica and the King, explore with a certain Manichaeism the different psychological facets of envy, manipulation and regret. From their confrontation is born a dark and devious psychological confrontation, worthy of the great classics of gangster movies.Cinderella is quite erased, but the appearance of these two men, as well as the memories of the ship push her to surprising reactions.  
If the scenario is very well done, the animation, for its part, is behind despite a very marked and scintillating visual bias. Some shots fail for lack of finesse and the animations sometimes lack a little fluidity. The music, which plays a big role in the plot, is in perfect harmony with the film and its message. 

To conclude, this Gatta Cenerentola is a nice surprise despite some clumsiness. It is understood that this film is not recommended for children and that this version has nothing to do with that of Disney. If you have the opportunity to see it, you will definitely have a good time. 

Trailer of Gatta Cenerentola :