In an imaginary universe where elves, unicorns and centaurs live together, technology makes their lives easier at the expense of magic that has gradually disappeared. At their 16 years, two young elven brothers, Ian and Barley, are offered by their deceased father a witch's stick capable of bringing him back to life for a day, inviting them to go in search of magic.
With En Avant , the resemblance between the characters of Barley and Ian with their dubbing actors is striking. Pio Marmaï and Thomas Solivérès took care of the French version. The duo, by the physical but also the character of the two actors, combines perfectly with the two elven brothers.
Interview with Pio Marmaï and Thomas Solivérès:
Since Là-Haut in 2009, Pixar has dealt with the themes of death, illness but above all bereavement under several aspects. Difficult moments in life that the studio does not hesitate to exploit according to Kori Rae, the producer of En Avant . “ We try to tell stories with honesty. We make sure that the directors have a special connection with the story told, which is of course the case with Dan Scanlon , for En Avant . "
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Michigan's Pixar's current vice-president of creation was the starting point for the animation studio's 22nd feature film. " When I was a little elf, my father died," he says. My brother and I did not remember him. Like the characters in the film, we have already wondered how we are like our father. And there is always this wish, this fanciful idea to say to oneself: "And if we met him, what would we say to him, what would he tell us? ””.
We all lost someone, and we all have someone who helped us become who we are today
Dan Scanlon, director of En AvantEn Avant offers its characters the opportunity to discover their father through magic, which they thought had disappeared. “ Magic is a metaphor for the potential we have within ourselves. It invites us to take up challenges and see what we are capable of. If technology is responsible for the disappearance of this magic, in particular due to its ease of execution, Dan Scanlon does not want to point the finger. “ Saying that technology does nothing good was not our goal. We also used it to make our film and even if I am the first to rely on it, it still has something magical ».
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For producer Kori Rae, it is the universality of the themes addressed that is the strength of En Avant . " We hope that the film will find a special resonance among the spectators, that something will echo their own experience, " he said. Pixar's latest addition, the film explores the family heritage and the last memories of a lifetime. " We all lost someone, and we all have someone who helped us become who we are today," said Dan Scanlon. It was an opportunity to pay tribute to these people and to thank them. "