Mia and the Migoo

Jacques-Rémy Girerd's 2008 French animation follows Mia, who senses that her father is trapped under a landslide at a construction site, setting out to find him. The journey crosses mountains and jungles, and she finally meets the Migoo, giant, clumsy and kind-hearted creatures. The film was painted entirely by hand, using around five hundred thousand images, and the result has the effect of a moving painting. Its subject is the environment: trees felled for a hotel project and nature defending itself. That message is at times delivered too directly. The visual richness is its real value; some scenes may unsettle children. Who it's for: families who like hand-drawn animation and environmentally themed children's films. Who it's not for: anyone wanting fast-paced animation, or troubled by a message delivered head-on.