The title character of Dilili in Paris (Samuel Goldwyn Films)

In the last few years, varied responses and reactions in current film have emerged exploring gender roles today, in contrast to yesteryear. Aware of this ongoing reflection, even an animated feature like Dilili in Paris, which is meant to be enjoyed by adults and children equally, could be viewed under a feminism prism.

Written and directed by French animation veteran Michel Ocelot, his new film is set in Paris of the Belle Époque in the beginning of the 20th century before World War I, a golden age of scientific progress and fertility in the arts. Parisian society during this period has been the subject of well-known cinematic fantasies like Gigi (Vincente Minnelli, 1959), Moulin Rouge! (Baz Luhrmann, 2001), and Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen, 2011). At first it’s easy to find similarities between Allen’s film and Ocelot’s animated proposition, considering both involve protagonists who constantly interact with celebrities of the era while exploring an idyllic Paris full of surprises. But Ocelot’s script dares to see beneath the sewage, and not only metaphorically. There is another Paris with hidden threats.

Dilili (voiced by Angelina Carballo), a mixed-raced orphan girl from New Caledonia, is sheltered in a home of a countess, well provided with good education and nice clothes. It’s inevitable that the appearance of a little black girl like Dilili will catch the attention of many who surround her, and her charisma, insatiable curiosity, and sophisticated manners aroused instant admiration wherever she goes. Accompanied by a delivery boy named Orel, she travels through the labyrinth of Paris streets in one concerted evening. Ocelot combines the charming 2-D animation of his characters with photorealistic images of Paris to create a rich and detailed contrast.

The first purpose of this trek is for her to know the city better, aided by Orel’s guidance. Dilili gradually forms her own idea of the city and also of herself and what she wants to be as she meets important people that have excelled in different disciplines (from Louis Pasteur to Marcel Proust, Sarah Bernhardt to Erik Satie, to name a few). What begins as a simple ride around the city becomes an intriguing mystery involving the disappearance of young girls allegedly orchestrated by a criminal band knows as the Male Masters.

Bravely, Dilili feels compelled to find answers, aware that she is a target herself, so she and Orel recruit help from the friends they have made along the road, such as painter Toulouse-Lautrec and opera singer Emilia Calvé. Dilili experiences indignation in front of injustices, knowing that it’s a demanding task to defeat the Male Masters, dangerous enemies who want to stop the rising generation of independent and brilliant women. (However, the racial prejudice Dilili faces is not always fully explored.)

Dilili in Paris redefines the basic concept of a family film and is also a starting point for later discussion. The film will offer younger viewers an opportunity to take an imaginary tour in Paris, and might inspire them to seek more information about the real characters portrayed. Also, Dilili is an ideal character for a child to identify with, a girl never to be underestimated. Ocelot has made a pedagogical and eye-catching animated film that will be easily tagged as “feminist” (yes, it is). Smart and colorful, it deserves to be appreciated as a stylish entertainment for all ages.