A practically perfect, or ideal film in almost every sense — including its lovely little 85-minute runtime. Perfect for children to sit and enjoy, and for adults to engross themselves in. Through what we have now categorized as anime style animation, Lucy Lost presents us with a story of a young girl lost in the world. A story about identity, memory and the bonds that bind us, it more than anything reminds us of the importance of being who we are now, no matter where we once came from.
With the great number of world war and historical films premiering at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, one aimed for children had to have had a different take. Of course, Olivier Clert’s Lucy Lost does just that. Instead of the horrors or aftermath directly, the audience gets to experience the war from a young girl’s perspective. Children then, even now, might not have known or understood a single thing that was going on around them. As the younger audience do not intake films as highly as adults may, having films that are simplistic yet still filled with a story gives them a chance to learn and experience the world in a different way. Lucy Lost is a tale about finding out who you are amidst an inexplainable situation. Understanding the ways of the world around you, and learning to continue to be yourself.
As the waves wash over and over, the world of Lucy Lost is slowly revealed. Amidst the Isles of Scilly, just off the Cornish coast, lives a young girl named Lucy (Charlie Rosenzweig). Raised by a clan of fishermen and farmers, she knows she does not truly belong. However, in the past year, her memory is lost to her. Living with her kind foster family, the Great War wages down on the continent. Feeling like a stranger in what is supposedly her home, Lucy lucks out and meets a mysterious girl of her age, Milly. Together, the two set Lucy on track to put the pieces of her past life back together. Providing an understanding of the environment and her place in the world.
For writer-director Olivier Clert, this feature-length debut excels beyond your typical expectations. I myself thoroughly enjoy a beautifully crafted animation that allows me to connect deeper than the surface level. And within Lucy Lost I was taken on an emotional journey. Forming a friendship with another who no one else can see, Lucy takes a leap of faith and follows Milly through thick and thin. Taking her outside of her comfort zone and jogging her memory in the process. As an outsider looking into Lucy’s life, you cannot tell where Milly will take either of you. But as time passes and the stakes are raised, the pieces can be put together. Even however, when you think you know where Clert and co-writer Helen Blakeman will bring you next, they spin you around before the film’s end.
As Lucy is a dreamer, a young girl longing for more than her current situation. Hiding the truth from Lucy and the audience, the magic of the film flows through its animation and score. Amidst the visionary animation lies a score that excels the feeling of the escapade Lucy and Milly find themselves on. I did not expect the anime style, but its use works with Lucy Lost. As a way to keep expressions limited, Lucy’s time in the Isles is suspended. Giving us a longer chance to see her and get to know her. Drawing her with big eyes gives her a humanistic quality and lets us connect with her feelings more. The style reflects the way in which I believe Clert wants his audience to feel. Romanticizing the idea of finding yourself after being lost in the world.
No matter what anyone else may think, it is important to stay true to yourself. Not to shy away from who you are to make other people comfortable. In Lucy Lost, the villagers see Lucy as an outsider. A strange girl who only brings trouble — an idea further expanded upon as the film moves on and we learn, as Lucy does, about her origins. No matter where her adventure of discovery takes her, good or bad, the touching piece of Clert’s story is in her mother reminding her to think of everything she experiences or feels as a treasure.
No matter how anyone around us might want to perceive who we are, the only ones who will know the truth are us. Lucy Lost reminds us the importance of being yourself. Though young Lucy must journey to discover her truth, once she finds it the world becomes more clear. Clert’s charming little animation partners well with the storyline and score to take audiences on Lucy’s adventures with her. As she experiences life from a new perspective, with eyes wide, we see her discover the truth, and witness what she chooses to do with it.
