Filmmaker Pablo Berger has created an animated film adaptation of Sara Varon’s graphic novel Robot Dreams. According to the buzz from the festival circuit, it’s one of the best movies of the year and currently boasts a 100 percent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film has yet to screen for the general public in the U.S., but we’re now being treated to a trailer to give us a tease of what the movie is like.
The trailer introduces us to Dog, a dog who orders a humanoid robot who becomes his dear friend. We see their budding relationship in the trailer above, but apparently, there is a moment in the story where the two become separated.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Dog lives in Manhattan and he’s tired of being alone. One day he decides to build himself a robot, a companion. Their friendship blossoms, until they become inseparable, to the rhythm of 80’s NYC. One summer night, Dog, with great sadness, is forced to abandon Robot at the beach. Will they ever meet again?
According to the blurb for Varon’s graphic novel, Robot remains rusting on the beach while Dog tries to go back to his life sans his metal friend. Dog just can’t quit Robot, apparently, and, as the blurb opines, “the dog tries to fill the emotional void left by the loss of his closest friend, making and losing a series of friends, from a melting snowman to epicurean anteaters. But for the robot, lying rusting on the beach, the only relief from loneliness is in dreams.”
Uh oh, there’s something in my eye! I haven’t seen Berger’s film (yet) or read Varon’s graphic novel (yet) but it sounds like both are well worth watching/reading.
We don’t have an official date yet as to when Neon, who picked up distribution for Robot Dreams, will start screening it in theaters. Here’s to hoping, however, that we can watch it sooner rather than later.
In the meantime, Neon also released this poster for the film today, for our viewing pleasure. Note that it includes a quote from Guillermo del Toro, who calls the film “beautiful, unexpected, and tender.”
