The Triplets of Belleville

“Extraordinary!… A bracing blend of silliness and sophistication! It’s comic, touching and a visual knockout.” –Rolling Stone

The unclassifiable, richly imagined The Triplets Of Belleville — a fantastical caper involving the Tour de France, the French Mafia, a kidnapping, and a wily grandmother and her faithful dog — becomes a wild spectacle featuring dancing, singing, foley sound effects, and the original hot swing score performed live by its composer Benoît Charest and his eight-piece Orchestre Terrible de Belleville band. In the spirit of the film, Le Terrible Orchestre de Belleville transports audiences to the exciting streets of 1920’s Paris and Le Jazz Hot.

The film was nominated for two Oscars (Best Animated Feature, Best Song) in 2003 and remains among the most bizarre and enchanting animated films ever made. Along with the Oscar nod, the score won the Montréal-born, Berklee-trained Charest a César Award for Best Music Written for a Film, a Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Music, and a Grammy nomination.

The film is rated PG-13.

Come early and enjoy music in the lobby and a cash bar, starting at 7pm.

A Conversation with Composer Benoît Charest

Meet the man behind the music. Join us in the theatre immediately after the screening for an informal conversation with Benoît Charest, Orchestre Terrible de Belleville conductor and composer of the original Triplets of Belleville score.

Conducting the interview will be Jakub Ciupiński, Assistant Professor of Music at Purchase College. A Polish composer living in NYC, his music is often associated with electronics and interactive performances; he has also written numerous pieces for traditional acoustic forces, varying in scope from solo miniatures to an hour-long Oratorio for symphony orchestra and double choir. At the age of 18, he signed a contract with Sony Music Poland and since then has been recording electronica-infused world music under the name Jakub Żak.

Ciupiński has also collaborated with a variety of artists, musicians, choreographers, and film directors, including Oscar-winning director Andrzej Wajda, and scored the music for United Nations documentary Opening Doors.

About the film:

‘The Triplets of Belleville’ 15th Anniversary: 7 Insights Into The Making Of A Contemporary Classic by Carlos Aguilar for Cartoon Brew.