The City of Lost Children (1995) | agoodmovietowatch

Rated 7+ IMDb · 70%+ RT Little-known finds Curated by humans

The City of Lost Children ICYMI7.4 1995 Movie

The City of Lost Children

Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet & Marc Caro · France, Germany · French

Children fight to keep their dreams in this peculiar steampunk adventure

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Our take by Isabella Endrinal

The optimism in the turn of the century led to quirky children’s fantasy adventures in the 90s and early aughts, but on occasion, fantasy was used to think critically about the world around us. Taking a more steampunk direction, The City of Lost Children was one such tale. With its somewhat on-the-nose metaphor for a brilliant scientist stealing children’s dreams, the resulting adventure is fought in the name of all things human, all with the whimsical style that’s been previously seen in films like Delicatessen and Amélie. Not all the ideas feel fully complete, but the City of Lost Children is one journey worth taking beside your kids.

What happens

A scientist in a surrealist society kidnaps children to steal their dreams, hoping that they slow his aging process.

What the critics said

Notable Critics

"Jeunet and Caro have distinctive signatures like nobody else's."

— Michael Sragow

"With each frame filled to bursting point with visual detail and multiplaned design, plus razor-sharp cutting that often eliminates transitions, it's not a movie you can afford to take your eyes off for a second."

— Derek Elley

Awards

Cannes

1 nom

Nominated: Palme d'Or

Spirit Awards

1 nom

Nominated: Best Foreign Film

César Awards

4 noms

Nominated: CésarNominated: CésarNominated: CésarNominated: César

Goya Awards

1 nom

Nominated: Goya

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About the author

Isabella Endrinal

Isabella Endrinal

Isabella Endrinal is a curator at A Good Movie to Watch. She's now free from the corporate night shift. Previous articles have been published in outlets such as NANG Magazine. She's currently catching up on some classic films… if she isn't coping with the fact that the Haikyu anime will end soon.