Rita & Crocodile – Rita og Crocodile (2014)

Directed by: Siri Melchior | 40 minutes | animation, family | Dutch voice cast: Lux Parser

Siri Melchior is one of those women who needs very little to tell a story. The Danish animation filmmaker focuses mainly on the youngest, with films that last no more than five minutes and in which an adventure from the life of a toddler is briefly reviewed. Born in Copenhagen in 1971, Melchior successively studied art history in her hometown, graphic design at Danmarks Designskole and animation at the Royal College of Art in London, and has worked for Channel 4, BBC Scotland and MTV, among others. In addition to illustrations for children’s books, Melchior also makes short films. For ‘Passport’ (1999), ‘The Dog Who Was a Cat Inside’ (2002) and ‘Whistleless’ (2007) she won prestigious awards and nominations (for, among others, a BAFTA and a Cartoon D’Or).

Together with her compatriot Marie Bro, a producer, she founded Ladybird Films in 2013. The first production from that stable is the children’s series ‘Rita & Krokodil’ (2014), a total of 26 films based on the picture book series of the same name, which are a great success, especially in Melchior’s home country Denmark. ‘Rita & Crocodile’ has already received awards (including the jury prize in the TV series category at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival and the Special Award for best young children’s program at the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival. A selection of the best ‘Rita & Crocodile’ episodes is now being released in cinemas: eight films of approximately five minutes, so even the littlest ones (from two years old) can keep up with it. small children, so toddlers and preschoolers can effortlessly empathize with the adventures, emotions and experiences of four-year-old Rita and her best friend, a tame crocodile simply called ‘Crocodile’.

The videos are packed with funny, colorful details and appealing music. Perky and determined Rita one morning finds a crocodile in her bathtub. Crocodile is always hungry, but is also very sweet. They become the best of friends and have the greatest adventures. The taciturn Crocodile – he makes noise, but he can’t talk – teaches his girlfriend a wise lesson in almost every film in a subtle way. He doesn’t have to do much for that; the girl actually learns on her own. That she doesn’t have to be jealous when Crocodile manages to drag one fish after another to the shore while fishing, for example, even though he has the old landing net with holes and Rita herself a brand new rod. Or that she doesn’t have to worry about getting lost in the woods when she goes looking for chestnuts, because Crocodile has come up with a clever trick to find her way back. Perhaps the funniest episode is the one where she sees Crocodile – in disguise! – takes him to the zoo and is eager to meet his congeners. Rita fears being caught by the zookeeper, but Crocodile isn’t worried about that.

That could be because there’s a pretty good chance that Crocodile only exists in Rita’s fantasy and that the adventures they experience all take place ‘safely’ in the backyard of her grandmother’s house. That immediately explains why adult characters are absent; should they appear, of course they cannot see Rita’s imaginary friend and the magic collapses like a house of cards. Other small children are performed, because, like Rita, they still have an unbridled imagination and therefore easily go along with her play. With ‘Rita & Crocodile’ Siri Melchior has made an ode to the imagination of children. Simple but effectively drawn, lovely and charming, but also colorful, funny and musical. Ideal to visit with the little ones during the Christmas holidays.