← Back to results
The City of Lost Children
La Cité des enfants perdus
1995 112 min France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom R 18+
★7.4
Fantasy, Science Fiction, Adventure
Director: Marc Caro, Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
A scientist in a surrealist society kidnaps children to steal their dreams, hoping that they slow his aging process.
Budget:
$18M
US Gross:
$1.74M
Worldwide:
$1.74M
Starring
Ron Perlman
Actor
Daniel Emilfork
Actor
Judith Vittet
Actor
Awards
César Awards 1996
— Best Production Design
César Awards 1996
— Best Original Score
César Awards 1996
— Best Costume Design
Goya Awards 1996
— Best Visual Effects
Saturn Awards 1996
— Best Costume Design
Saturn Awards 1996
— Best Young Performer
César Awards 1996
— Best Cinematography
César Awards 1996
— Best Production Design
Cannes Film Festival 1995
— Palme d'Or
Key opinion
The City of Lost Children is widely hailed as a visually extraordinary steampunk masterpiece that prioritizes atmosphere and aesthetic immersion over logical narrative coherence. While critics are divided on the film's structural focus and script, audiences frequently celebrate it as a unique, transportive surrealist fairy tale.
| Production | The film features a breathtaking and meticulously crafted visual world, highlighted by innovative production design, Jean Paul Gaultier's costumes, and immersive cinematography. | |
| Score | Angelo Badalamenti’s atmospheric score effectively grounds the film’s surrealist tone and enhances its sense of gloom and wonder. | |
| Acting | Dominic Pinon delivers a standout, versatile performance, while Ron Perlman provides a compelling, if occasionally restrained, emotional anchor as the lead. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is heavily criticized for being convoluted, unfocused, and prone to internal inconsistencies that prioritize style over narrative logic. | |
| Pacing | The film's slow, melancholic pacing creates a polarizing experience, leaving some viewers mesmerized by its steady, dreamlike progression while others find it exhausting or cluttered. |