Review: ARCO (2025) – An original sci-fi animation about friendship and the future of our planet
Ugo Bienvenu’s feature debut stands among the most distinctive European films of the year.
I was looking forward to the French animated debut of director Ugo Bienvenu more than to any other film at this year’s festival. I usually prefer to be surprised, but in the case of Arco, I’d already heard from several European podcasts that this was one of the animated favorites of the season.
Bienvenu studied animation at Gobelins in Paris and at the California Institute of the Arts. Before his feature debut, he directed several short films, including the acclaimed Maman (2019), where he first explored themes of memory, technology, and emotional disconnection.
His feature debut Arco premiered in Cannes, won the Cristal Award at Annecy, and quickly became one of the most discussed European animated films of the year. The filmmaker draws inspiration from both the classical European school and Japanese animation. Visually and thematically, Arco reminded me of several films from Studio Ghibli, yet it keeps its own voice, rather than imitating, it continues a tradition.
The story begins high above the Earth. A curious boy named Arco dreams of flying, just like the rest of his family. But the cloak that makes it possible can only be worn by children aged twelve and older. One night, he secretly borrows it from his older sister. During his journey, however, he gets lost and ends up in an unknown world where he meets a girl named Iris. She lives with her little brother and their robotic nanny Mikki in a city surrounded by constant wildfires. Her parents are away most of the time, appearing only as holograms. When Arco enters her life, she suddenly feels she’s found a real friend.
It’s impossible not to mention the trio of conspiracy theorists who decide to uncover where this flying boy came from. They’re clumsy, eccentric, but funny and kind-hearted, reminiscent of those side characters from Japanese a
Each character here feels natural and full of personality. Arco is brave, adventurous, and a little stubborn. Iris is friendly, curious, and just like him, searching for something to brighten her everyday life. The robotic nanny Mikki steals several scenes for herself. According to the director, even the characters’ names carry meaning.
“Arco and his friend Iris are children trying to survive in a world shaped by automation, ecological collapse, and forgotten history. Their names are poetic remnants of the Spanish word arcoiris — rainbow. A symbol of hope and transformation across cultures.”
That symbol of the rainbow perfectly captures the spirit of the film. Arco and Iris connect two worlds — the past and the future, humans and nature.
Bienvenu also isn’t afraid to address environmental themes, but he does it differently than most. The devastated landscape, the domed houses, and the orange haze of wildfires are not presented as an active warning, they simply form the natural background of the story. The film doesn’t moralize; ecology isn’t an agenda here but an organic part of the characters’ world.
The animation is breathtaking. The hand-drawn 2D style feels clean and balanced. The drawings are clear, uncluttered, and beautifully use light and color. Even though the story takes place in the future, the world feels natural and alive. The cities in the clouds have a calm, almost meditative atmosphere, while Iris’s world below is full of contrast. The futuristic city under domes alternates with a dangerous orange glow of fire and dust in the air — a sight that immediately recalls today’s Canadian wildfires.
Coming from a comics background, Bienvenu’s sense of composition and framing shows in every shot. Each image looks like an illustration you’d want to frame.
Even though some might find small things to criticize, I personally found none. The ending is powerful and emotional but still feels natural and without pathos. It’s the kind of film you can return to years later and as you move through life, you’ll always find something new in it.
Ugo Bienvenu has made a film about hope, friendship, and balance between humans and nature. I’m genuinely glad that even in an era full of digital effects, a hand-drawn film can still offer a deeper and more genuine cinematic experience.
Rating: 10/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Animated / Adventure
France, 2025, 82 min
Director: Ugo Bienvenu
Writers: Ugo Bienvenu, Félix de Givry
Voice cast (French): Oscar Tresanini, Margot Ringard Oldra, Louis Garrel, Swann Arlaud, Alma Jodorowsky, Vincent Macaigne, Oxmo Puccino, Sophie Mas
English Dub: Natalie Portman, Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Mark Ruffalo, Andy Samberg, Flea
Trailer:
Poster:
