The Rabbi’s Cat / Le chat du rabbin (2011): animated family film review

Poster artwork for the animated film The Rabbi's Cat (Le chat du rabbin).

Cultured Cat by Linh

French director, writer, actor and artist Joann Sfar follows his first feature film Gainsbourg: An Heroic Life (Vie héroïque) with the charming and thought-provoking comedy adventure animated film The Rabbi’s Cat (Le chat du rabbin).  The film is based on his comic book series of the same name and comprises of three volumes of his comic books and has won a César for Best Animated Feature, France’s equivalent to the Academy Awards. Sfar and co-director Antoine Delesvaux has created a film that is accessible to all ages and audiences from all walks of life, as the adventures of his Russian Blue cat explores race, religion, art and science.

FEISTY FELINE: The Rabbi's Cat (François Morel) attempts to explain to Rabbi Sfar (Maurice Bénichou) and Zlabya (Hafsia Herzi) how he came to speak in the film The Rabbi's Cat (Le chat du rabbin). Image: TF1 International.

The film is set in Algiers in the 1930s and opens with the voice-over of the Rabbi Sfar’s cat (François Morel) who explains how he was blessed with the gift of speech after swallowing the family’s pet parrot. Rabbi Sfar (Maurice Bénichou) is astonished that his long-time companion cat can speak but his daughter Zlabya (Hafsia Herzi), is bemused and delighted. The talking cat immediately requests to be converted to Judaism to be like the Rabbi and suggests he gets a bar mitzvah also. 

While considering ways to deal with his talking cat, the Rabbi receives a large box from Russia that contains more than just books. Hidden inside is a young Russian Jew (Sava Lolov) who claims to have escaped the Communists by stowing away inside the box. He is an artist and is on his way to Africa where he heard there is a hidden tribe of black Jews in a mythical city. After deciding to embark on the fantastical adventure, Rabbi Sfar, his talking cat and the young artist are joined by Rabbi’s Sfar’s friend the Arab Sheikh Mohammed (Mohamed Fellag) and an eccentric Russian millionaire named Vastenov (Wojciech Pszoniak).

LITURGICAL LITERATURE: Rabbi Sfar (Maurice Bénichou) is surprised his cat (François Morel) can read and wants to convert to Judaism in the film The Rabbi's Cat (Le chat du rabbin). Image: TF1 International.

Director Sfar contributed to the hand-drawn characters with the colours and style matching those in his comic books. He aimed to capture the essence of his comic book characters onscreen and to please his comic book fans as well as introducing new audiences of the film to his book series. Although this film was screened only in 2D format in Australia but in 3D in other countries, the overall film is enjoyable and visually effective. 

It is the humour and wit of the Rabbi’s cat that keeps the film interesting; his philosophical musings that contradict and question his human friends’ outlook on life provide some food for thought. The Rabbi’s cat at times acts as a bridge between warring parties, becoming the voice of reason, while at other times plays the devil’s advocate in raising questions and stirring doubts. In some scenes, conversations turn into rantings and erupt into violence, while other scenes show how effective communication can unite different groups and personalities.

INTERRACIAL INTIMACY: The Russian artist (Sava Lolov) falls in love with the African singer (Marguerite Abouet) on his journey to the heart of Africa in the film The Rabbi's Cat (Le chat du rabbin). Image: TF1 International.

The Rabbi’s cat demonstrates how to use its eyes and ears as a filter for the mind and not as a dumping ground for others to impose various views and opinions. The characters represent various ways of thinking such as science being a means of understanding the world, art provides meanings in life and religions give hope to society. The film The Rabbi's Cat, is less preachy about morals and ethics than expected, and more light-hearted in its approach to the message of tolerance and acceptance of others and their differences.

The Rabbi's Cat (Le chat du rabbin). Film Trailer (courtesy of The UK Jewish Film Festival):

Joann Sfar’s blog (in French and English):

http://www.joann-sfar.com/wpen/ 

Directors: Joann Sfar, Antoine Delesvaux

Writers: Joann Sfar (comic book and screenplay), Sandrina Jardel (screenplay)

Voice Cast: François Morel, Maurice Bénichou, Hafsia Herzi, Sava Lolov, Mohamed Fellag, Wojciech Pszoniak, Alice Houri, Daniel Cohen, Jean-Pierre Kalfon, Mathieu Amalric, Marguerite Abouet, David Rit, Joann Sfar, Olivier Broche 

   

Producers: Joann Sfar, Antoine Delesvaux, Clement Oubrerie

Original Music Composer: Olivier Daviaud

Cinematographer: Jérôme Brézillon

Film Editor: Maryline Monthieux

Languages: French and Hebrew with English subtitles

Running Time: 1 hour and 35 minutes