Battleangel

In addition to Shrek 2 that screened early in the Festival, the second animated feature in competition is presented today, Innocence by Mamoru Oshii. The Japanese director spent nine years making this follow-up to his cult hit Ghost in the Shell. The characters are the same but the political tone has given way to a philosophical one, a hymn to life. Furthermore, the technical rendering is much more formal, mixing 2D, 3D and computer graphics.

It is the year 2032 and the line between humans and machines has been blurred almost beyond distinction. Humans have forgotten that they are human and those that are left coexist with cyborgs (human spirits inhabiting entirely mechanized bodies). Batou’s body is artificial: the only remnants left of his humanity are traces of his brain – and the memories of a woman called The Major. He is investigating a murder case involving malfunctioning androids that went berserk.

Mamoru Oshii on his intentions: “This movie does not hold the view that the world revolves around the human race,” says Mamoru Oshii. “Instead it concludes that all forms of life – humans, animals and robots – are equal. In this day and age when everything is uncertain, we should all think about what to value in life and how to coexist with others.”