kurosawakira "L'homme qui plantait des arbres" (1988) is incomparable for many reasons: the humanity, bittersweet warmth, the craft. But above all it creates a sort of dream language with its own logic of transition and movement, so much so that few other films have transported me so completely to a world I never knew existed or could exist. I don't ask for much more when it comes to film.The film works beautifully with Marker's "La Jetée" (1962). Both films are strong metaphors for film in how they represent our own quest as viewers for images that become much like memory to us. Marker's film works so beautifully because there the story unfolds unto itself through still images, photographs. This film, however, swerves the other way, and the images themselves are fleeting, unsure, ebbing and flowing in and out of focus – and existence. It's the exemplary of the dance of shadow and light.I'd love to see this completely silent.

MartinHafer THE MAN WHO PLANTED TREES was the Academy Award winning Best Animated Short for 1988. However, I did not see the original French language version (narrated by Philippe Noiret) but the English language one (narrated by Christopher Plummer). Plummer's voice was very sweet and melodious--perfect for this gentle little film.The film is a supposedly true story about an odd man who lives in the middle of nowhere--planting trees and living very contentedly with the land. To heighten the effect, the film is gorgeously hand rendered using what appear to perhaps be colored pencils--making a wonderfully colorful and artistic tapestry--something you could never achieve with traditional animation. Perfect for the film and truly an amazing piece of art--like something that should be in a museum exhibit.A lovely little tale about ecology and mankind. It's not exactly exciting--see it for its beauty and for its strong emotional impact. If by the time you've finished watching this film if you aren't touched, then you are probably dead!

Galina Frédéric Back's 30 minutes long Oscar winning animated film "The Man Who Planted Trees" is astounding work of art with its beautiful story and the images that equal it. The story written by the French writer Jean Giono that tells about Elzeard Bouffier, a quiet shepherd, and later bee keeper who never talked much but over 35 years of hard work singlehandedly cultivated a magnificent forest in a desolate area of Provence, France and made it a peaceful and happy home for over 10, 000 people, is highly moving, inspirational, and life-affirming. It makes a viewer proud of what a man can achieve if he is determined to create, not to destroy. Every frame looks and feels not like a flat drawing but like a beloved painting of a celebrated impressionist painter (Monet, Sisley, Morisot, and Pissarro, the "purest" impressionists come first to mind). To achieve this effect, Back worked on unpolished acetates using crayons and modulating the colors. During the film, the colors change dramatically from barren and lifeless desert like palette in the beginning to the tender glowing delicate colors of blossoming eternal Spring in the final scenes. I was absolutely mesmerized by Back's visual style and his ability to beautifully translate such a literally story to the screen and not to lose any of its appeal but on the contrary to enrich it with incredible taste and unique exquisite beauty and tenderness of his images. For the first time, I came across the work of animation that reminded me so much of my all time favorite animated film "Tale of Tales" by Yuri Norstein, artistically and spiritually. It was not surprising for me to find out that Norstein and Back have met, respect and admire each other work and that Norstein studied Back's techniques and took with him to Moscow Back's acetates and coloring pencils that he was going to use while working on his ambitious project, full feature animation "Overcoat".There is one question that pops up from time to time on the different IMDb boards, "Is there any movie that all viewers would love and cherish"? I am always skeptical and up until tonight used to believe that the universally loved movie simply does not exist. I am happy to admit that I was wrong. I don't think that anyone who saw this little marvel may not be affected by its clear message, its kindness, beauty, and artistry.

legra A magical animated feature about one man's life work to restore a barren land to forest by planting trees. Seen through the eyes of a young man who comes across a shepherd the story unfolds over many years. The narration is provided in the English version of this French Canadian animation by Christopher Plummer. A film not to be missed that leaves you feeling good and wanting to spread the wonderful message amongst others. I am not surprised that this feature won an oscar, which is rare for an animation, but this just goes to show how overlooked animation can be as a powerful medium. The only thing that does surprise me is that this feature is currently deleted on video/dvd? Two simple words: watch it!