CHICO AND RITA is the second animated film I’ve seen at the festival this year…and for the second time, I’m in love. Like L’ILLUSIONISTE earlier this week, I have just taken in an animated film full of such life, warmth, and love…and it reminds me what the filmmaking style is supposed to be all about.

CHICO AND RITA is the story of two kindred spirits. It begins in Havana in the late 40’s. Chico is a gifted Jazz pianist, and his best friend Ramon does what he can to act as his representation. One night out on the town, Chico lays eyes on Rita and gets hit by a thunderbolt: as he hears her sing a slow soulful rendition of “Besame Mucho”, he knows he’s in love.

He courts her (or harasses her long enough, depending on how you look at it), and Ramon lends a hand to help the two become musical collaborators. While they endure a fiery “on-again/off-again” dynamic, there is no denying that the two make beautiful music together. That is until an American swoops Rita out from under Chico and brings her to New York where she becomes a big star. After some hesitation, Chico and Ramon move to New York as well…and become part of the city’s jazz scene in the early 1950’s.

This film is very classic hollywood, and truly a work of art. Combining a look of watercolour and acrylics, the film has been tenderly constructed to draw us into Chico & Rita’s world. The camera sweeps and pans its way through a bygone era in both Havana and New York, leaving us with no question how such lively cities could be the stage for such tender love, and such passionate music. As the neverending soundtrack continued to pulse, I found myself swaying in my seat, and fixated with this story of love and torment.

It’s rare that I fall for a film whose influences are so prevalent (SINGIN IN THE RAIN, CASABLANCA, and MAMBO KINGS are in play here, amongst others)…but this film isn’t interested in just winking at its forefathers. It wants us to surrender ourselves to this journey the way we surrendered ourselves to those journeys. To accomplish that, the film works for our affection through intricate relationships, glorious artwork, and innovative direction.

In an age where animated movies usually centre around celebrities voicing talking animals, films like CHICO AND RITA are a breath of fresh air. They remind us of where the medium came from, and what it can still be. This is a film that is sure to draw an audience in with wonderful organic artwork, and then use some soulful music and complexed romantic notions to pin the audience in place. It is a rare gem, and a film that I hope more people get to see.

CHICO AND RITA plays TIFF twice more- Friday September 17th at 9am, and finally on Sunday September 19th at 9:15pm