Writer-director David Bisbano’s animated Argentinian delight, Dalia and the Red Book (Dalia y el Libro Rojo) takes us on a fantasy journey through the world of an unfinished novel. When Dalia’s (Agustina Cirulnik) father, Adolfo (Gustavo Barrientos), a celebrated author, dies, he leaves behind an unfinished final novel. Years after his passing, she is pulled forcibly into the world of the book by characters who wish to complete the story on their own.
Adolfo’s novel, The Red Book, features a character he wrote for Dalia: A goat, simply called Goat. She chose the goat to be a character at his behest, based on her favorite stuffed animal. While the other characters scheme and plot to take over the narrative and become the main character, Dalia must navigate through twists and turns to escape the universe of the book, and the only one faithful to Dalia is the loyal Goat. The characters in the red book have been left without a conclusion, and each is desperate to have the story end, while at the same time competing for main character status.
As she and Goat seek to find the door to the real world before time runs out, Dalia is forced to look inside herself to determine whether she has the desire to be a writer like her father. She had always shown interest when he was alive, but had moved away from writing and storytelling after he died. Having been abducted into the world of the red book, she faces insecurity and doubts about her own ability.
“…a fantasy journey through the world of an unfinished novel…”
The world painted in the film is reminiscent of the dark fantasy settings of Guillermo Del Toro in films like Pan’s Labyrinth, and Bisbano also channels Coraline and The Neverending Story, with hints of Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. Complex, dynamic backgrounds compete with the best anime for exciting set pieces.
One downside of the English language dub is that it comes across as bland, as such dubs usually do. Authenticity is always preserved by presenting the dialogue in the original language and using subtitles. The phonetics of the original language are part of the film. Since this is an animated film, it was a logical choice to record voices in a different language, but something is missing. Idioms written for Spanish are strained and weird in English. The voice performances are flat and monotone, lacking emotional depth and urgency, making the dub feel like an afterthought. This, in turn, impacts the emotional depth of the story. However, all that said, the dub is not a deal-breaker for Dalia and the Red Book, which still shines as a fun, inspirational film that is suitable for children, but adults will enjoy it as well.
The cinematography is stunning. It is also an impressive technical achievement: Bisbano utilizes Epic Games’ 3D animation tool Unreal Engine and a combination of CGI, stop-motion, and 2D animation to achieve incredible animation excellence. The visuals are layered and textured, with vibrant colors. The whole film is gorgeous and moves perfectly. Bring the kids and watch the beauty and life-affirming grace brought to the screen in Dalia and the Red Book.
"…beauty and life-affirming grace brought to the screen..."
