Julian

Mangu is a traditional Dominican dish, combining mashed plantains, sauteed onions, fried salami, eggs, cheese, and a lot of love. Louis Bagnall’s feature debut Julian is just as heartwarming as that breakfast favorite. Based on Jessica Love’s award-winning children’s book, the animated feature tells a beautifully rendered and touching story of acceptance set in the Dominican community, across a bright and sweaty Brooklyn summer.

When Julian’s father drops him off at his mother’s house, he gently warns her that the young boy may not be quite what she’s expecting. Bright-eyed and energetic, Julian is obsessed with fish and sea life, but doesn’t have much interest in more “boyish” things like sports. But if his Abuela has some learning to do, so too does Julian. It’ll be his first time really getting to know his grandmother who is eager to impart on her grandson the food and culture of their Dominican heritage. It’s rocky going at first. Abuela rules her home with a kindly, but old-school approach: you have to finish your plate before getting up from the table; always address your elders properly; and look with your eyes and not your hands. Meanwhile, Julian’s nearly indefatigable spirit tests Abuela’s limits.

As Abuela gets Julian acquainted with her friends and neighbors, they begin to understand each other better and foster a deeper connection. But that bond is put to the test when Julian meets three girls who call themselves Team Merms. The kids are preparing elaborate costumes for the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, an event that sounds like music to Julian’s ears. Soon he joins the squad and enlists Abuela’s help in creating the mermaid costume of his dreams. Abuela’s support is tempered by protectiveness, and Julian learns that not everyone is pleased to see him celebrate and express his whole self.

The tension brought out in juliany tavernas’ screenplay is delicately handled. Julian’s story isn’t necessarily one of a boy who wants to be a girl. Rather it’s the story of a boy learning to assert his individuality and discover want it means to be truly accepted. The filmmakers manage to make a story that’s coded queer also broadly relatable. It’s a little bit of storytelling magic on top of a picture that truly feels special. It’s a movie that parents will enjoy watching with their kids; how it resonates and entertains will vary on the age group, but for everyone this is a winning break from the noisier, less personal major studio offerings for families.

That enchanting feeling is illustrated in the wonderful work by Bagnall and the team at Cartoon Saloon (The Secret of the Kells, The Breadwinner, Wolfwalkers). The hand-drawn animation is bright and lush, but its the details that are truly wonderful. Abuela’s community is vividly brought to life. Whether it’s men out on the sidewalk watching a baseball game from a laptop on a cardboard box, Abuela joining the viejitas for a round of dominos, or the trash filled dashboard of deli owner Fran’s van, the film’s setting is vivid and lived in. As Julian grows familiar and fond of the neighborhood, so does the audience. The animation easily moves back and forth between storybook realism and Ghibli-esque fantasy sequences (Julian is often aided by a sprite named Luna) while maintaining a distinctive, uniform style.

One particular frame in Julian stands out. After a much needed storm breaks a stifling summer day, we see the sky above the rooftops of Brooklyn. On one side are the bruised storm clouds, moving away, and on the other, a bright, clear sky with a rainbow shining through. This is Julian’s journey in a nutshell, learning to love his bright and beautiful self even when things get tough.

Director: Louise Bagnall
Screenplay: juliany tavernas
Cast: Knyght Darius Jack, Milcania Diaz-Rojas, Lisa-Kainde Diaz, Naomi Diaz
Producers: Tomm Moore, Paul Young, Nora Twomey, Anthony Leo, Andrew Rosen, Lewis Taylor, Charlotte de la Gournerie, Fabien Renelli, Stephan Roelants
Production design: Emilie Bach Nielsen
Editing: Richie Cody, Owen Peters
Music: La-Nai Gabriel
Production companies: Cartoon Saloon (Ireland), Aircraft Pictures (Canada), Melusine Productions (Luxembourg), Sun Creature (Denmark), Guru Studio (Canada), Wychwood Media (United Kingdom), Cinestar Pictures (United States), BCP Asset Management (Ireland), Crave (Canada)
World sales: New Europe Film Sales
Venue: Toronto International Film Festival (Centrepiece)
In English, Spanish
85 minutes