Skip to content
April and the Extraordinary World
An exhilarating steampunk retro-thriller charged with resilient hope and defiant curiosity, where a soot-choked Paris of twin Eiffel Towers unfolds like an ink-stained graphic novel blooming into life.
April and the Extraordinary World
April and the Extraordinary World

Avril et le monde truqué

04 November 2015 France 106 min 7.1 (365)

Director: Franck Ekinci, Christian Desmares

Cast: Marion Cotillard, Philippe Katerine, Jean Rochefort, Olivier Gourmet, Marc-André Grondin

Animation Fantasy Thriller Comedy Adventure Science Fiction Ecological Catastrophe and Resource Depletion The Weaponization vs. Humanization of Science Totalitarianism and Controlled Knowledge Family, Loyalty, and Chosen Kinship Hubris and the Utopia Paradox
Budget: $10,000,000

April and the Extraordinary World — Characters & Cast

Character Analysis

April Franklin

Marion Cotillard

Archetype: The Inquisitive Hero / Defiant Pioneer Key Trait: Relentless scientific brilliance paired with stubborn moral courage.

Motivation

To complete her parents' life work, heal Darwin, and discover the truth behind her family's abduction.

Character Arc

Begins as an isolated, mistrustful fugitive orphan living inside a bronze statue, obsessively focused on her flask of serum; she evolves into an emotionally open, self-sacrificing leader who reunites her broken family and reshapes the world’s ecological future.

Darwin

Philippe Katerine

Archetype: The Cynical Sidekick / Familiar / Moral Anchor Key Trait: Dry, deadpan wit and unconditional loyalty.

Motivation

Staying by April’s side, intellectual preservation, and survival.

Character Arc

Starts as a sickly, book-loving, melancholic cat resigned to an early grave; after receiving the perfected serum, he steps into heroic selflessness, ultimately accepting cosmic immortality to preserve life.

Prosper "Pops" Franklin

Jean Rochefort

Archetype: The Eccentric Mentor / Archetypal Patriarch Key Trait: Irreverent disregard for authority coupled with boundless mechanical inventiveness.

Motivation

Defending scientific autonomy and protecting April.

Character Arc

After escaping imperial forces in 1931, he retreated into clandestine eccentricity, living in a disguised rolling fortress; reuniting with April shakes him out of hermit cynicism and spurs him to take direct action against tyranny.

Julius

Marc-André Grondin

Archetype: The Reluctant Rogue / Reformed Street Thief Key Trait: Street smarts, agility, and emotional vulnerability.

Motivation

Evading police labor camps, which shifts into winning April’s trust and affection.

Character Arc

Transitions from an exploited police informant looking out strictly for his own skin to a courageous partner willing to defy imperial authorities and risk his life for April.

Inspector Pizoni

Bouli Lanners

Archetype: The Dogged Pursuer / Comic Bureaucrat Key Trait: Bullheaded persistence masked by pompous incompetence.

Motivation

Professional redemption and authoritarian duty within the Napoleonic state.

Character Arc

Spends decades obsessed with capturing the Franklin family to reclaim his lost rank within the police prefecture, repeatedly thwarted by bad luck and bureaucratic demotions.

Cast

Marion Cotillard as Avril (voice)
Philippe Katerine as Darwin (voice)
Jean Rochefort as Pops (voice)
Olivier Gourmet as Paul (voice)
Marc-André Grondin as Julius (voice)
Bouli Lanners as Pizoni (voice)
Anne Coesens as Chimène (voice)
Macha Grenon as Annette (voice)
Benoît Brière as Rodrigue (voice)
Gérard Dessalles as (voice)
Jean-Claude Donda as (voice)
Damien Laquet as (voice)
Irina Preda as (voice)

Explore More About This Movie

Dive deeper into specific aspects of the movie with our detailed analysis pages

Similar Movies