People told me about this film when it was shown at the New York International Children’s Film Festival, and they were blown away. They described the movie as one of the most beautiful animation, cinema experience in storytelling. Zarafa captures suffering at the hands of slave traders. Human beings treated as a property to the edge of monstrous fixation. Sincerely, I enjoyed this movie and hope everyone sees it as work of art.

Directed by both Rémi Bezançon and Jean-Christophe Lie, Zarafa is full of adventure as a charming animated story in French and English subtitles. We meet an orphaned African boy who starts a journey to find his place in the world. His other purpose for the journey is to protect a young giraffe that he deems himself responsible.

The movie is packed with cute and hilarious moments with offbeat and curious characters while the boy visits many exotic global locations.  It is also exciting with narrow escapes, rescues, and threat of capture.  The tear-jerking moments in the movie might be tough for some kids to watch.  The moments include deaths of fond characters that the audience grows to love.

The movie has its highs and lows and several scary, suspenseful scenes.  For example, the two children find themselves in danger with a ferocious dog and an evil villain. The villain is a slave trader who pursues them relentlessly. He even holds a dear, little girl in chains while he attacks the boy with the intent to shoot and kill. Another tragedy is when parents of a young child are captured, and their village is burned down to the ground.

The movie is fine for older kids, who understand the difference between imaginary and real violence and can put up with the English subtitles.