Wolfy, The Incredible Secret

The animation is delightful, the colours nursery and the plot fairy. If there is a hint of Babar it may be in the design. One of the qualities of Wolfy, The Incredible Secret is that it does not resemble anything else. Unique in humour, unique in form.

Wolfy and his friend, the rabbit, enjoy nothing better than lazing about in a boat on the river doing a bit of fishing/sleeping. This time they are spotted by a crow who happens to be a witch in disguise. She inveigles the young wolf into her cottage and, with the aid of a crystal ball, tells him his mother is a princess and alive in another land.

Wolfy and the rabbit drive there in a big red car where every combination of danger and adventure awaits. There are threatening examples of pack behaviour amongst the ruling classes who appear obsessed with the hunting and eating of lesser creatures, especially now as the CarniFestival is about to begin.

Fascism by any other name, perhaps.

There are references to modern life, even modern horror, but this is not the purpose of the film. Essentially it is a story of a boy (sorry, wolf) who is desperate to find his mother and during the quest loses his direction, seduced by the promises of others, endangered by protocol and the devious workings of power.

The rabbit is Everyboy, out of his comfort zone, clear eyed because in this world of carnivorous beasts he is lunch. Cleaning the bears' stable is a safer prospect.

Those who require the assistance of subtitles will be frustrated at times when they dissolve into ever paler backgrounds.

Nothing else will frustrate you.

Wolfy's journey is universal. Like dreams and fables.