Sahara (2017 film)

Sahara is a 2017 French-Canadian 3D computer-animated adventure film directed by Pierre Coré. Produced by Mandarin Films and StudioCanal.

Plot

The film begins in a sandstorm where travelers rest with their camels beneath a cliff. Here, Ajar the cobra and Pitt the scorpion successfully steal a watermelon from one of the camel's baskets.

After the storm, the two protagonists try to enjoy their melon, only to have it brutally taken from them by a larger bully purple cobra named Saladin. Later, the pals are traveling through the sandstone cliffs where snakes gather in the shade, only to be pelted by melon seeds by Saladin's friends. Ajar is teased for being young and small, as he hasn't shed to his adult skin yet. At the edge of the desert, Ajar proposes to flee to the Oasis, but Pitt points out that the Oasis belongs to the Green Snakes. There, they happen to spot Eva, a Green Snake, trying to leave the Oasis, only to be caught by one of the Secretary Birds (Chief-Chief) that guard it. Pitt uses that as a reason to not go to the Oasis, but Ajar is not discouraged.

Eva is returned to her father, who reprimands her for always trying to leave the Oasis, which she clearly hates. Upset, she leaves; passing her brother, Gary wearing a grass wig. Later, Eva sits by a pool of mud and seems to get an idea while using her tail to draw shapes with the mud. Meanwhile, Ajar paints himself green with moss and sneaks into the Oasis despite Pitt's complaints where they find his disguise has worked against one of the guards. After entering, it isn't long before the Secretary Birds warn of intruders ("Dusties") and the friends dart for the grass; thinking it's them. They separate and Ajar finds an unfamiliar brown snake who happens to be Eva in disguise as a Dusty, who asks for his help.

They get stuck at the edge of a cliff against one of the guard birds and Eva leaps off the cliff with Ajar. Ajar, however, can't swim and almost drowns before Eva gives him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, which he takes for a kiss. Their disguises begin to wash away in the water and they lose the guards overhead by hiding in a river cave. There, they make a truce and Eva invites Ajar and Pitt to go with her but just as she heads out of the cave, she is taken by Omar, a cruel snake charmer and skinner.

As Ajar pursues Omar's camelcade, he and Pitt are snatched by Chief-Chief and taken back to the other birds at their base, who threaten to kill them. Ajar manages to find Gary, who was caught sniffing pollen, and threatens him in order to make Chief-Chief free them. They flee on the back of one of the birds, but just as they find the camelcade, Pitt interferes and accidentally stings the bird; causing it to sleep. They are forced to continue on the ground.

Meanwhile, Eva meets other snakes that were captured by Omar--including a green male snake named George--who greet her happily. Later that night, Omar uses the flute to make the snakes dance for a small audience. Eva tries to escape, but is mesmerized and brought back by the flute.

Ajar and Pitt, constantly annoyed by Gary, struggle to navigate a maze of sandstone cliffs. They accidentally fall into a cave, finding a colony of glow-worms that welcome them kindly and give them directions to find the camelcade at first before luring them in as their prey. The trio escapes through a hole in the cave made by Ajar and find they've come to the other side. Gary, however, has had enough and reprimands Ajar (including the fact that he has not shed to his adult skin yet) and the ridiculous journey. Nevertheless, Gary's outvoted and they continue traveling after Eva.

After a musical adventure montage, Gary complains about the desert and tension grows. They find tourists and climb into their car to find water, only to be discovered because of Gary due to his pollen addiction. While the snakes are thrown out, Pitt stings himself accidentally and falls asleep; getting stuck inside. Gary and Ajar fight before continuing onward.

Eva is upset about her situation, but one of the dancing snakes named Pietra (who doesn't like her) shows her a way out of the basket. Eva is caught by a camel, who causes a ruckus, during which Pietra tries to escape as well. Omar captures both of them and considers adding them to the basket of snakes who are to be skinned, only to get a more nefarious idea.

Ajar and Gary find a plant in the desert, which turns out to be a fast-talking sandfish. The sandfish has seen the camelcade they're looking for, as well as knows of the nearby town it's headed to, but refuses to give directions except the name Souksoukville and digs away in the sand. Then, Gary makes rude remarks about Pitt, which causes an enraged Ajar to pounce on Gary. During their tustling, Ajar and Gary find a small oasis where they agree to rest for the night and talk. Ajar reveals that he met Pitt after Pitt's family was killed by Touaregs. Pitt, meanwhile, sleeps at the tourists' camp, where he meets a wandering family of scorpions who stay with him. He later tells them about his adventure with Ajar, though makes himself look like the hero. The family later asks that he stays with them, but he says he must go find Ajar.

That night, Omar forces Eva and Pietra to have a dance-off in a ring of fire. Eva wins and Pietra is taken away to be put in the basket of snakes to be skinned.

Ajar and Gary find an underwater river in a well and decide to ride it in a bucket to the nearby town in order to escape a coming sandstorm, despite the fact that Ajar can't swim. In the town, they find Omar's store by following ads for the dancing snakes and sneak inside as Gary overcomes his pollen addiction. There, Ajar sees George consoling an upset Eva and thinks he's her boyfriend. Gary convinces Ajar to continue to save Eva and they manage to release a ceiling fan to crush the cages and release all the snakes. Omar hears the noise and goes to get the snake-controlling flute, but Ajar quickly steals it when Omar is bitten by Gary (though Omar reveals that he is immune to snake venom).

Omar pursues Ajar out of the building, where the sandstorm rages, and chases him across the city (getting carried far leaps by the wind). At the top of a mosque, Omar tries to grab the flute from Ajar, only to accidentally break it. He grabs Ajar to keep himself from falling off the building, but Ajar's old skin comes off and Omar disappears into the sandstorm. As the storm calms, Ajar falls onto a platform below.

Ajar is found by Eva and his friends and thought to be dead at first before awakening and hugging him. They find that Ajar has shed and now has a much more beautiful, elaborate adult skin. Eva realizes that Ajar had crossed an entire desert for her, to which Ajar replies that he would cross a thousand deserts for her and save her from what she could've met a dark fate. The two coil together as they share a big strong passionate kiss as they twine together in a form of a heart. Omar suddenly appears for a moment, but is stung by Pitt and falls asleep. Pitt has brought a female friend from the scorpion family named Emily.

Later, they are all riding atop the tourist car from before. Ajar sits with Eva; asking him if he dances based on her experience with the other snakes, Pitt sits with Emily, with whom they both share a romantic embracement off-screen, and Gary sits with Pietra. Gary admires her and she remarks that she happens to also love handsome, super-rich heirs.

As the van drives off, the fast-talking sandfish appears next to a camel, and tells this random camel (and also the viewers) that Ajar and Eva might go back and live happily ever after at the Oasis and teach the Dusties and Green Snakes to live together as equals, but he has no idea.

Voice cast

French and English voice actors are listed:

• Omar Sy and Robert Naylor - Ajar
• Louane Emera and Angela Galuppo - Eva
• Franck Gastambide and Daniel Brochu - Pitt
• Vincent Lacoste and Mark Hauser - Gary
• Grand Corps Malade and Brady Moffatt - Omar
• Roschdy Zem and Mathew Mackay - Saladin
• Jonathan Lambert and Richard Dumont - Michael
• Pietra and Nadia Verrucci - Pietra
• Mathilde Seigner and Sonja Ball - Rita, Lulu Belle
• Jean Dujardin and Andrew Shaver - George
• Michaël Youn and Rick Jones - Sandfish
• Clovis Cornillac and Rick Jones - Glow Worm King
• Reem Kherici - Alexandrie
• Arthur Holden - Sergeant
• Terrence Scammell - Chief Chief
• Matthew Stefiuk - Snake Eagle
• Elana Dunkelman - Emily, Lily Belle

Accolades

Sahara was nominated and named in the category "Best Animation Film" at Les Cesar Academy 2018. It was the 1st French animated film at the box office 2017.

Success and Sequel

Co-produced by La Station Animation and Mandarin, with M6, the film was a great success in France where it has more than 1.1 million admissions. A reflection is under way in all the partners for a second movie. There is a prospect of a sequel to Sahara as well as new live projects. The producers approach is unchanging: proceed eagerly by integrating talents through crossed over projects. Sahara 2 is slated to be released on June 14th, 2019. Most of the original cast will return and a few new characters will be introduced. The sequel will be produced by Mandarin Films, StudioCanal, and NicThic Productions, a joint American/Canadian animation company.

References

External links

• Sahara on IMDb