L’extraordinaire voyage de Marona aka
Marona’s Fantastic Tale

Watch Trailer

L’extraordinaire voyage de Marona aka
Marona’s Fantastic Tale

Watch Trailer

Storyline

The poetic and touching film from director Anca Damian follows an optimistic stray dog named Marona as she looks back on the human companions she has loved throughout her life.

Delivered alongside dazzlingly colorful, sweeping designs produced in part by acclaimed artist Brecht Evens, MARONA’S FANTASTIC TALE is a life-affirming tale told with the patient, boundless love of a dog, and reminds us that happiness is a small thing.

Project Details

  • Genre: Fiction Film
  • Status: Completed
  • Director: Anca Damian
  • Producers: Anca Damian, Ron Dyens, Tomas Leyers
  • Script: Anca Damian, Anghel Damian
  • Characters design: Brecht Evens
  • Backgrounds: Gina Thorstensen, Sarah Mazetti
  • Music: Pablo Pico
  • APARTE FILM, SACREBLEU PRODUCTION, MIND MEETS

Storyline

The poetic and touching film from director Anca Damian follows an optimistic stray dog named Marona as she looks back on the human companions she has loved throughout her life.

Delivered alongside dazzlingly colorful, sweeping designs produced in part by acclaimed artist Brecht Evens, MARONA’S FANTASTIC TALE is a life-affirming tale told with the patient, boundless love of a dog, and reminds us that happiness is a small thing.

Project Details

  • Genre: Fiction Film
  • Status: Completed
  • Director: Anca Damian
  • Producers: Anca Damian, Ron Dyens, Tomas Leyers
  • Script: Anca Damian, Anghel Damian
  • Characters design: Brecht Evens
  • Backgrounds: Gina Thorstensen, Sarah Mazetti
  • Music: Pablo Pico
  • APARTE FILM, SACREBLEU PRODUCTION, MIND MEETS

Related News

Marona’s Fantastic Tale won the Main Prize, section: Animated Feature Films for Children, at Anifilm- International Festival of Animated Films, Liberec, Czech Republic.

October 30th, 2020|News, The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Marona’s Fantastic Tale won the Main Prize, section: Animated Feature Films for Children, at Anifilm- International Festival of Animated Films, Liberec, Czech Republic. The jury members- David Silverman [...]

Marona’s Fantastic Tale receives 2 Prizes in Bucheon AFF and audience award in Gijon International Film Festival!!

November 21st, 2019|News, The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

The motivation of the jury was: "We voted to give a special jury prize to 'Marona's Fantastic Tale' for its visual artistry and overall emotional impact. Rather than emulating the language of live-action, writer-director Anca Damian uses the native potential of animation to its fullest". [...]

Marona’s Fantastic Tale receives Special Jury Prize in Los Angeles festival Animation Is Film

October 21st, 2019|News, The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

The motivation of the jury was: "We voted to give a special jury prize to 'Marona's Fantastic Tale' for its visual artistry and overall emotional impact. Rather than emulating the language of live-action, writer-director Anca Damian uses the native potential of animation to its fullest".

Marona looks forward to seeing the world through festivals

October 2nd, 2019|News, The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

After being awarded a special mention of the jury at Festival Européen du Film Fantastique de Strasbourg, the wonderful animation is preparing to join the competition in many prestigious festivals, such as Ottawa International Animation Festival OIAF, CinEast Festival Luxembourg, #SPARKANIMATION2019 Vancouver, BIAF Buchon International Animation Festival, Animation Is Film Los Angeles, Milano IFF.

Related News

Marona’s Fantastic Tale won the Main Prize, section: Animated Feature Films for Children, at Anifilm- International Festival of Animated Films, Liberec, Czech Republic.

October 30th, 2020|News, The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Marona’s Fantastic Tale won the Main Prize, section: Animated Feature Films for Children, at Anifilm- International Festival of Animated Films, Liberec, Czech Republic. The jury members- David Silverman [...]

Marona’s Fantastic Tale receives 2 Prizes in Bucheon AFF and audience award in Gijon International Film Festival!!

November 21st, 2019|News, The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

The motivation of the jury was: "We voted to give a special jury prize to 'Marona's Fantastic Tale' for its visual artistry and overall emotional impact. Rather than emulating the language of live-action, writer-director Anca Damian uses the native potential of animation to its fullest". [...]

Marona’s Fantastic Tale receives Special Jury Prize in Los Angeles festival Animation Is Film

October 21st, 2019|News, The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

The motivation of the jury was: "We voted to give a special jury prize to 'Marona's Fantastic Tale' for its visual artistry and overall emotional impact. Rather than emulating the language of live-action, writer-director Anca Damian uses the native potential of animation to its fullest".

Marona looks forward to seeing the world through festivals

October 2nd, 2019|News, The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

After being awarded a special mention of the jury at Festival Européen du Film Fantastique de Strasbourg, the wonderful animation is preparing to join the competition in many prestigious festivals, such as Ottawa International Animation Festival OIAF, CinEast Festival Luxembourg, #SPARKANIMATION2019 Vancouver, BIAF Buchon International Animation Festival, Animation Is Film Los Angeles, Milano IFF.

Related Press

Review: Amazing animation propels ‘Marona’s Fantastic Tale’ beyond your standard dog story

June 12th, 2020|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: moviecricket.net
Publish Date: June 12, 2020
Author:Sean P. Means
In the Romanian-made, French-dubbed “Marona’s Fantastic Tale,” a simple story of a dog’s hard-luck life gets raised to beautiful levels by some of the most imaginative, colorful animation you’re likely to see anywhere.

Marona’s Fantastic Tale by Anca Damian, the Picasso of animation

March 11th, 2020|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: fotogramas.es
Publish Date: March 11, 2020
Author: Carlos Loureda
" Marona's Fantastic Tale" is an absolute delight to see and see again without limit, which also travels with multiple references the history of twentieth century painting: Matisse, Cubism, Picasso, surrealism, Magritte, expressionism...", says Fotogramas.

Marona’s Fantastic Tale: Between dadaism and surrealism

March 11th, 2020|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: cinenuevatribuna.es
Publish Date: March 11, 2020
Author: Vicente I. Sánchez:
Marona's Fantastic Tale is a movie that is hard to be classified into the animation genre. The last proposal by the Romanian director Anca Damian (The Magic Mountain) is a fascinating proposal that gravites between surrealism and cubism. Nothing has enaugh meaning and, in the same time, everything is incredible beautiful.

  • Marona_Cartoon-2019

Film Review: ‘Marona’s Fantastic Tale’

October 23rd, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: Variety
Publish Date: October 23, 2019
Author: Peter Debruge
Damian depicts that journey in such original ways, taking considerable freedom from her naïve-art approach, in which 2D drawings are married with basic digital techniques to move through the film's various environments — including the streets of a Paris quite unlike any previously depicted on screen.

  • Marona_Cartoon-2019

Netflix Oscar-Contender ‘I Lost My Body’ Takes Top Honors at Animation Is Film 2019

October 22nd, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: indiewire.com
Publish Date: October 22, 2019
Author: Bill Desowitz
In addition, Romanian director Anca Damian's heat-tugger, "Marona's Fantastic Tale" (GKids,) earned the special jury prize for visual impact, exploring the memories of a mixed-breed Labrador with its various owners in a daring assortment of animated techniques.

„L’éphémère en toile de fond et du solide en relief: voilà la structure de cette biographie de chien.”

September 10th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: filmexplorer.ch
Publish Date: September 10, 2019
Author: Giuseppe Di Salvatore
„Le registre descriptif de la narration est alors toujours bouleversé par une explosion des formes et la création d’atmosphères apparemment oniriques, qui en réalité ne font que rendre avec précision la situation ou l’état d’esprit de Marona.”

  • Marona_interviu-TK

„It’s a colourful, visual tour de force that will take your breath away.”

June 19th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: dmovies.org
Publish Date: June 19, 2019
Author: Jeremy Clarke
"It fits the bill as a much better kids' movie than most of the more commercial fare foisted on audiences by the major studios and it should equally delight dog lovers. Having said that, as a person who neither has young kids or dogs, I adored it. And I suspect you will too."

“Il y a donc ces auteurs, qui viennent repenser le montage, le cadrage et les formes, puis il y a Anca Damian qui collabore avec Brecht Evens, Gina Thorstensen et Sarah Mazzetti et là, tout éclate.”

June 17th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: baz-art.org
Publish Date: June 17, 2019
 "Les techniques se mèlent, il n'y a plus de limites, l'essentiel est le langage visuel et la transmission d'une histoire et d'une émotion."

  • Marona_Cartoon-2019

„Tous de jolis films, mais qui nous ont semblé terriblement engoncés sitôt apparu le joyau de cette édition, objet unique et rabelaisien, festin visuel qui se permet la cruauté drôle comme le tragique.”

June 14th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: next.liberation.fr
Publish Date: June 14, 2019
Author: Marius Chapuis
"Véritablement extraordinaire tant le film de la Roumaine Anca Damian s'affranchit de tout ce que l'on peut voir au cinéma, l'Extraordinaire voyage de Marona est de ces étincelles qui continuent de nous illuminer longtemps après la fin de la séance. Un film qui sonne comme une évidence."

„L’extraordinaire voyage de Marona» tient aussi du prodige graphique.”

June 13th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: leparisien.fr
Publish Date: June 13, 2019
Author: Renaud Baronian
"Hyper-inventif et audacieux, le film, qui suit le destin émouvant d'une jeune chienne adoptée par plusieurs maîtres successifs, multiplie les superpositions de dessins à la façon de collages qui s'animeraient, une orgie de couleurs et de mouvements qui en met plein les yeux et touchera les enfants comme les adultes."

  • The-Extraordinary-Voyage-of-Marona

“Wow this is magnificent. Truly one-of-a-kind animation storytelling. One of the most uniquely imaginative, trippy, fascinating, entrancing, beautiful, clever animated films I have ever seen.” (Alex Billington)

June 12th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: letterboxd.com
Publish Date: June 12, 2019
"There's so many wonderful life lessons in this, not just about caring for a dog, but about how to live as a human and what matters the most."

“Anca Damian puts her name to a remarkable animated film, a simple, tender and moving story suffused with visual and musical poetry of great inventiveness…”

June 12th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: cineuropa.org
Publish Date: June 12, 2019
"Visually exquisite and peppered with vertiginous, sparkling, surrealist sequences, Marona's Fantastic Tale imparts a profound life philosophy on the question of identity, the search for happiness, the bonds which form between beings and the human condition as seen through the animal's eyes, all wrapped up in a very simple and moving story which is accessible to the very youngest of audiences."

  • Marona_Cartoon-2019

“Those positive vibes are channeled by Evens’ vibrant illustrations, which teeter on the abstract but always remain figurative, recalling the paintings of French Fauvists.”

June 12th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: hollywoodreporter.com
Publish Date: June 12, 2019
Author: Jordan Mintzer
Romanian director Anca Damian ('The Magic Mountain') teamed with Belgian artist Brecht Evens for this animated feature told from a canine's perspective.

„Alors qu’il frôle l’abstraction à tout moment, donnant la part belle au ressenti au détriment du réel, L’EXTRAORDINAIRE VOYAGE DE MARONA fait mouche grâce à un récit limpide et une folie formelle agile et à propos. Ne retenez pas cette larme.”

June 12th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: cinemateaser.com
Publish Date: June 12, 2019
Author: Perrine Quennesson
À LA LIMITE DE L'ABSTRACTION, LE FILM D'ANCA DAMIAN NOUS EMMÈNE DANS LA MÉMOIRE D'UN CHIEN ET QUESTIONNE NOTRE RAPPORT À L'ATTACHEMENT. BOULEVERSANT.

  • Marona_Cartoon-2019

„Anca Damian s’offre toutes les libertés, et notamment de multiplier les styles graphiques, allant parfois très loin dans l’abstraction, ou dans une représentation stylisée du monde.”

June 8th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: www.ecrannoir.fr
Publish Date: June 8, 2019
"On a la sensation qu'elle applique au long métrage ce qu'on aime tant dans le court : cette audace formelle qui ne s'interdit aucune expérimentation, et propose un cinéma libéré des contraintes esthétiques ou narratives traditionnelles, débordant d'idées visuelles et poétiques."

  • The-Extraordinary-Voyage-of-Marona

“Anca Damian Wraps Marona’s Fantastic Tale for Cannes and Preps The Island” (FilmNewEurope)

May 20th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: www.filmneweurope.com
Publish Date: May 2019
"Romanian writer/director Anca Damian will show her French language animated film Marona's Fantastic Tale at the Cannes Film Festival Market, followed by its screening in the competition of Festival international du film d'animation d'Annecy (10-15 June 2019)."

  • Marona_Cartoon-2019

L’Extraordinaire voyage de Marona” – Parmi les plus attendues premières établies pour 2019, selon Cartoon Movies

March 31st, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: https://www.digitalcine.fr
Publish Date: 31 Martie 2019
Author: Nicolas Thys
Plus surprenant encore est L'Extraordinaire voyage de Marona produit par Sacrebleu et Aparte et réalisé par Anca Damian qui décidément réussit à monter des projets audacieux en peu de temps.

Related Press

Review: Amazing animation propels ‘Marona’s Fantastic Tale’ beyond your standard dog story

June 12th, 2020|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: moviecricket.net
Publish Date: June 12, 2020
Author:Sean P. Means
In the Romanian-made, French-dubbed “Marona’s Fantastic Tale,” a simple story of a dog’s hard-luck life gets raised to beautiful levels by some of the most imaginative, colorful animation you’re likely to see anywhere.

Marona’s Fantastic Tale by Anca Damian, the Picasso of animation

March 11th, 2020|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: fotogramas.es
Publish Date: March 11, 2020
Author: Carlos Loureda
" Marona's Fantastic Tale" is an absolute delight to see and see again without limit, which also travels with multiple references the history of twentieth century painting: Matisse, Cubism, Picasso, surrealism, Magritte, expressionism...", says Fotogramas.

Marona’s Fantastic Tale: Between dadaism and surrealism

March 11th, 2020|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: cinenuevatribuna.es
Publish Date: March 11, 2020
Author: Vicente I. Sánchez:
Marona's Fantastic Tale is a movie that is hard to be classified into the animation genre. The last proposal by the Romanian director Anca Damian (The Magic Mountain) is a fascinating proposal that gravites between surrealism and cubism. Nothing has enaugh meaning and, in the same time, everything is incredible beautiful.

  • Marona_Cartoon-2019

Film Review: ‘Marona’s Fantastic Tale’

October 23rd, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: Variety
Publish Date: October 23, 2019
Author: Peter Debruge
Damian depicts that journey in such original ways, taking considerable freedom from her naïve-art approach, in which 2D drawings are married with basic digital techniques to move through the film's various environments — including the streets of a Paris quite unlike any previously depicted on screen.

  • Marona_Cartoon-2019

Netflix Oscar-Contender ‘I Lost My Body’ Takes Top Honors at Animation Is Film 2019

October 22nd, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: indiewire.com
Publish Date: October 22, 2019
Author: Bill Desowitz
In addition, Romanian director Anca Damian's heat-tugger, "Marona's Fantastic Tale" (GKids,) earned the special jury prize for visual impact, exploring the memories of a mixed-breed Labrador with its various owners in a daring assortment of animated techniques.

„L’éphémère en toile de fond et du solide en relief: voilà la structure de cette biographie de chien.”

September 10th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: filmexplorer.ch
Publish Date: September 10, 2019
Author: Giuseppe Di Salvatore
„Le registre descriptif de la narration est alors toujours bouleversé par une explosion des formes et la création d’atmosphères apparemment oniriques, qui en réalité ne font que rendre avec précision la situation ou l’état d’esprit de Marona.”

  • Marona_interviu-TK

„It’s a colourful, visual tour de force that will take your breath away.”

June 19th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: dmovies.org
Publish Date: June 19, 2019
Author: Jeremy Clarke
"It fits the bill as a much better kids' movie than most of the more commercial fare foisted on audiences by the major studios and it should equally delight dog lovers. Having said that, as a person who neither has young kids or dogs, I adored it. And I suspect you will too."

“Il y a donc ces auteurs, qui viennent repenser le montage, le cadrage et les formes, puis il y a Anca Damian qui collabore avec Brecht Evens, Gina Thorstensen et Sarah Mazzetti et là, tout éclate.”

June 17th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: baz-art.org
Publish Date: June 17, 2019
 "Les techniques se mèlent, il n'y a plus de limites, l'essentiel est le langage visuel et la transmission d'une histoire et d'une émotion."

  • Marona_Cartoon-2019

„Tous de jolis films, mais qui nous ont semblé terriblement engoncés sitôt apparu le joyau de cette édition, objet unique et rabelaisien, festin visuel qui se permet la cruauté drôle comme le tragique.”

June 14th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: next.liberation.fr
Publish Date: June 14, 2019
Author: Marius Chapuis
"Véritablement extraordinaire tant le film de la Roumaine Anca Damian s'affranchit de tout ce que l'on peut voir au cinéma, l'Extraordinaire voyage de Marona est de ces étincelles qui continuent de nous illuminer longtemps après la fin de la séance. Un film qui sonne comme une évidence."

„L’extraordinaire voyage de Marona» tient aussi du prodige graphique.”

June 13th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: leparisien.fr
Publish Date: June 13, 2019
Author: Renaud Baronian
"Hyper-inventif et audacieux, le film, qui suit le destin émouvant d'une jeune chienne adoptée par plusieurs maîtres successifs, multiplie les superpositions de dessins à la façon de collages qui s'animeraient, une orgie de couleurs et de mouvements qui en met plein les yeux et touchera les enfants comme les adultes."

  • The-Extraordinary-Voyage-of-Marona

“Wow this is magnificent. Truly one-of-a-kind animation storytelling. One of the most uniquely imaginative, trippy, fascinating, entrancing, beautiful, clever animated films I have ever seen.” (Alex Billington)

June 12th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: letterboxd.com
Publish Date: June 12, 2019
"There's so many wonderful life lessons in this, not just about caring for a dog, but about how to live as a human and what matters the most."

“Anca Damian puts her name to a remarkable animated film, a simple, tender and moving story suffused with visual and musical poetry of great inventiveness…”

June 12th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: cineuropa.org
Publish Date: June 12, 2019
"Visually exquisite and peppered with vertiginous, sparkling, surrealist sequences, Marona's Fantastic Tale imparts a profound life philosophy on the question of identity, the search for happiness, the bonds which form between beings and the human condition as seen through the animal's eyes, all wrapped up in a very simple and moving story which is accessible to the very youngest of audiences."

  • Marona_Cartoon-2019

“Those positive vibes are channeled by Evens’ vibrant illustrations, which teeter on the abstract but always remain figurative, recalling the paintings of French Fauvists.”

June 12th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: hollywoodreporter.com
Publish Date: June 12, 2019
Author: Jordan Mintzer
Romanian director Anca Damian ('The Magic Mountain') teamed with Belgian artist Brecht Evens for this animated feature told from a canine's perspective.

„Alors qu’il frôle l’abstraction à tout moment, donnant la part belle au ressenti au détriment du réel, L’EXTRAORDINAIRE VOYAGE DE MARONA fait mouche grâce à un récit limpide et une folie formelle agile et à propos. Ne retenez pas cette larme.”

June 12th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: cinemateaser.com
Publish Date: June 12, 2019
Author: Perrine Quennesson
À LA LIMITE DE L'ABSTRACTION, LE FILM D'ANCA DAMIAN NOUS EMMÈNE DANS LA MÉMOIRE D'UN CHIEN ET QUESTIONNE NOTRE RAPPORT À L'ATTACHEMENT. BOULEVERSANT.

  • Marona_Cartoon-2019

„Anca Damian s’offre toutes les libertés, et notamment de multiplier les styles graphiques, allant parfois très loin dans l’abstraction, ou dans une représentation stylisée du monde.”

June 8th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: www.ecrannoir.fr
Publish Date: June 8, 2019
"On a la sensation qu'elle applique au long métrage ce qu'on aime tant dans le court : cette audace formelle qui ne s'interdit aucune expérimentation, et propose un cinéma libéré des contraintes esthétiques ou narratives traditionnelles, débordant d'idées visuelles et poétiques."

  • The-Extraordinary-Voyage-of-Marona

“Anca Damian Wraps Marona’s Fantastic Tale for Cannes and Preps The Island” (FilmNewEurope)

May 20th, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: www.filmneweurope.com
Publish Date: May 2019
"Romanian writer/director Anca Damian will show her French language animated film Marona's Fantastic Tale at the Cannes Film Festival Market, followed by its screening in the competition of Festival international du film d'animation d'Annecy (10-15 June 2019)."

  • Marona_Cartoon-2019

L’Extraordinaire voyage de Marona” – Parmi les plus attendues premières établies pour 2019, selon Cartoon Movies

March 31st, 2019|Press The Extraordinary Voyage of Marona|

Source: https://www.digitalcine.fr
Publish Date: 31 Martie 2019
Author: Nicolas Thys
Plus surprenant encore est L'Extraordinaire voyage de Marona produit par Sacrebleu et Aparte et réalisé par Anca Damian qui décidément réussit à monter des projets audacieux en peu de temps.