TIFF’23: Robot Dreams is one of the greatest animated films of all time
Posted September 16, 2023 1:01 pm.
It’s been nearly 100 years since silent films were the norm. They usually played in theatres with a pianist in the auditorium, or in some fancier cinemas with an orchestra. Dialogue was spoken through title cards, and the film would have to rely almost entirely on visuals to tell its story. Sound changed the game, and almost entirely eradicated silent films with only very few examples coming out over the next few decades. But anytime we do get one nowadays, they’re able to use natural sound and music incredibly inventively.
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Robot Dreams is a powerhouse film that has no dialogue. Directed by Spanish filmmaker Pablo Berger (who previously directed Abracadabra and Blancanieves), this is his first animated film. It’s about an anthropomorphic dog living in 1980s New York, one who is incredibly lonely. He purchases a robot and after assembling it, the two become best friends. But this friendship is eventually torn apart, and the two spend the whole film dreaming of how to get back together.
Without dialogue, the film has to become more expressive to tell the story. Its only tools are visuals, music, natural sound, and emotion. It employs the tools excellently, telling a thrilling and engaging story about true friendship. By taking out dialogue, the film becomes much more universal in its storytelling. It doesn’t feel confined to the story the filmmaker wants to tell, it can become much more for the audience.
Many people could watch this film and take completely different things away from it. For Berger, that was the beauty of this story which he adapted from a comic by Sara Varon. He tells me that he would love for people to watch this film with their kids. He tells me he “loves the idea that… the parents choose this film and say ‘I want you to watch this film and after the film is finished we’re gonna talk about it. About loss, about memory.'”
He adds that while he has some experience in making a film without dialogue (Blancanieves had no dialogue), this was an exciting challenge for him due to the animation element as well. “For me, what makes cinema unique is to write with images. And I think the audience, when they watch a film that has no dialogue, it really implies for them they have to pay attention so they get more involved.” Berger and his crew certainly rose to the challenge, making an incredibly powerful film with beautiful images.
Robot Dreams is a film that will stand the test of time. It’s not just one of the best films at TIFF this year, it’s one of the best animated films of all time. It’s a perfect film to watch with your children, or with anyone you love. This film gets a 5/5, and you can watch my interview with Berger here.
