Romanian director Anca Damian uses a fascinating mixture of animated styles to bring to the screen the perceptions of the titular heroine, carried by a wonderfully evocative and emotional score by Pablo Pico and some truly inspired and indeed fantastic animation, turning Marona’s Fantastic Tale into a story that will surely win the hearts of animal lovers the world over. […]

What is striking about Marona’s Fantastic Tale: it is not just about a small dog, but about us humans and the way we treat the animals we take into our homes. Even though Marona is given much love throughout the film, she experiences a lot of sorrow as well, and always at the hands of her owners. To Marona, humans are complicated creatures, and her outlook on them is simplified in a central idea that runs through the story but is verbalized when Manole feels torn between the love for his dog and the lure of the circus. Happiness is being contented with the small things that life brings you: a warm bed, food when you need it, and the companionship of your loved ones. Sadly this is never enough for humans, as they always want more, a concept that confuses Marona. […]

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