Azur & Asmar: The Princes' Quest

Plot

Two boys, Azur and Asmar, are raised together by the nurse Jénane, who tells them of a Djinn-fairy imprisoned and awaiting a heroic prince. Azur's father separates them, banishing Jénane and Asmar and sending Azur away for schooling. Years later, Azur journeys to Asmar's homeland to find the Djinn-fairy.

He reunites with Jénane, now a wealthy merchant, and Asmar, a member of the Royal Guard. Their bond is damaged, and both seek to marry the Djinn-fairy. They must cooperate, but only one prince can succeed.

Production

Michel Ocelot conceived the film as a celebration of Maghreb and Islamic civilization in the Middle Ages, drawing on memories of a trip to Algeria and visits to the three Maghreb countries to sketch scenery. The city of Timgad and, from a 2001 trip, the Bastion 23 and Bardo Museum in Algiers inspired settings. Costumes were researched using a book on Algerian costume and items in the Bardo Museum; women wear Berber outfits, and the Djinn Fairy's headdress is based on a preserved piece in that museum.

The journey across the sea evokes immigration and the difficulty of being an immigrant, which is why Arabic dialogue is neither dubbed nor subtitled. The character Crapoux represents Ocelot's own difficulty integrating when he arrived in France in the 1950s. The film was entirely computer-animated. Hiam Abbass verified the Arabic dialogues and voiced the mother and nurse.

The ending theme was written and performed by Souad Massi. Production cost ten million euros, including a one-million-euro tax credit from the French Ministry of Finance, and involved multiple financiers.

Release

Azur & Asmar premiered on 21 May 2006 during the Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival and was released in French theatres on 25 October 2006. An English-subtitled version won audience awards at the Montreal Film Festival for Children and Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children, and the Grand Prix for Best Feature Film at Animafest Zagreb in 2007. In Germany, Ocelot chose a smaller distributor rather than dub the Arabic dialogue into German.

The film was dubbed into English and released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as Azur & Asmar: The Princes' Quest from 8 February 2008, with a limited run. It was rated U for mild fantasy violence. American distributors hesitated due to a breastfeeding scene showing exposed breasts.

Did You Know?

• The film's budget was larger than that for a live-action feature film.
• Souad Massi, who contributed vocals to the ending theme, is an Algerian singer of Kabyle ethnic origin.