On planet Perdide, an attack of giant hornets leaves young Piel alone in a wrecked car with his dying father. A mayday message reaches their friend Jaffar, an adventurer travelling through space. Onboard Jaffar’s shuttle are the renegade Prince Matton, his fiancée, and Silbad, who knows Perdide well. Thus begins an incredible race across space to save Piel.
Cinematography
Moebius and Caza's designs: every frame belongs in a museum.
Direction
Laloux makes 80 minutes feel like a lifetime of weird.
Writing
Twist ending that rewrites everything you just watched.
Director
René Laloux
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was France's answer to Star Wars fatigue—no merchandising, no heroes, just beautiful doom. It bombed. Of course it did.
The 'Choppy' toy was voiced by a grown man doing baby talk, then pitch-shifted into uncanny nightmare fuel.
FR
