---
title: "Little Amélie or the Character of Rain"
year: 2025
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain"
fi1m_id: "little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain"
imdb_id: "tt29313285"
tmdb_id: 682012
wikidata_id: "Q132862555"
fi1m_score: 80
critics_score: 79
critics_reviews: 16
published: "2026-10-03T04:02:55.893897+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-03T04:02:56.170731+00:00"
region: "IL"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (2025)

Directed by Maïlys Vallade, Liane-cho Han · 1h 17m · Animation, Drama, Family

## Identity

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain
- **IMDb ID:** tt29313285
- **TMDB ID:** 682012
- **Wikidata ID:** Q132862555
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29313285/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/682012, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q132862555

**Fi1m score: 80** · Critics 79 from 16 reviews

*In a sentence:* Being three looks exhausting; at least the colours are good

> Maïlys Vallade and Liane-cho Han make early childhood feel strange, absorbing and worth taking seriously. The animation rewards close attention, though the toddler’s viewpoint can be difficult to follow; we recommend it with that reservation.

## Synopsis

Three-year-old Amélie (voiced by Loïse Charpentier) is learning what to make of the people and sensations around her. Her father Patrick (Marc Arnaud), her mother Daniele (Laëtitia Coryn) and her grandmother Claude (Cathy Cerda) are part of a world whose rules she does not yet understand. She grows close to Nishio-San (Victoria Grobois), and that attachment helps her find her bearings. Everyday discoveries take on proportions she cannot explain. While Amélie tries to understand what she sees, the adults around her carry grief and memories of war.

## Review

*Little Amélie or the Character of Rain* is a tender, absorbing animation, worth seeing even when its toddler’s thinking becomes difficult to follow. Directors Maïlys Vallade and Liane-cho Han want early childhood to feel unfamiliar again, and they take their small protagonist seriously. Amélie’s discoveries are allowed to matter without being reduced to lessons an adult has prepared for her. We are asked to spend time with someone who has little experience to help explain what she sees.

The watercolour-like images make that invitation appealing. Soft colour and relatively spare detail suggest a world still taking shape, while expressive character drawings give us something firmer to read. There is pleasure in simply looking, but the pictures also help us understand why an ordinary experience might occupy all of a small child’s attention. The animation gives those responses enough space to register before we dismiss them as trivial.

Loïse Charpentier voices Amélie, and Victoria Grobois voices Nishio-San, whose bond with the child gives the film its most engaging relationship. We were moved by their closeness. The expressive faces make their affection clear even when Amélie’s understanding of the world is harder to grasp, so we have something to care about beyond each new discovery. These scenes give the film a warmth that its more puzzling passages need.

Screenwriters Eddine Noel, Aude Py, Maïlys Vallade and Liane-cho Han adapt Amélie Nothomb’s book with room for grief and wartime history alongside the pleasures of discovery. Those subjects could overwhelm a story told from such a young child’s perspective. The film generally handles them with care, allowing us to recognise more than Amélie can understand without treating her feelings as inadequate. Its sadness matters because the affection has been given time to establish itself, particularly in her relationship with Nishio-San.

Ludovic Versace’s editing keeps the 77-minute film compact without making its discoveries feel hurried. That is a useful judgement of scale for a story whose central character cannot yet organise everything into a tidy account. Mari Fukuhara’s music suits the tenderness, although the drawings do much of the emotional work themselves. The most affecting passages give us time to look at a face, and they need little help in telling us what to feel.

The difficulty comes when the writing assumes that sharing Amélie’s uncertainty will be as interesting as sharing her discoveries. We were less persuaded in those stretches, where her unusual thinking becomes difficult to grasp and the story loses its pull. A child’s confusion can be engaging, but we still need enough information to follow what matters to her. Here, some of the connection between one experience and the next remains hazy, and the attractive drawing cannot quite compensate.

As family animation, its willingness to take childhood sadness seriously is welcome. The PG certificate should not be mistaken for a promise that every child will find it comfortable, particularly when grief and wartime history enter the picture. We would choose it for a quiet evening, with adults prepared to talk about more than the drawings. Leave time for questions that may not have quick answers.

*Fi1m score 80, published 3 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews are strongly positive, with praise clustering around the painterly animation and its ability to make childhood discovery feel immediate. Critics repeatedly pick out the watercolour-like images, expressive colours and a world seen from a toddler’s still-forming perspective. Most also admire the emotional balance: the film’s sweetness leaves space for grief, traumatic history and adult realities. Amélie’s personality and her bond with Nishio draw further praise for giving the visual invention emotional weight.

The spread is fairly narrow, with reservations qualifying the enthusiasm rather than overturning it. Variety finds the toddler’s unusual worldview occasionally difficult to grasp, despite admiring the animation and the central relationship. There is also some disagreement over the likely audience. The Hollywood Reporter questions how child-friendly the serious themes are, while Deadline sees the treatment of history, life and death as suited to sensitive adults and sophisticated children alike.

## Straight answers

**Is Little Amélie or the Character of Rain worth watching?**

*Little Amélie or the Character of Rain* is worth watching for its tender view of childhood and expressive animation; we score it 80. We are particularly moved by Amélie’s closeness to Nishio-San, which gives the sometimes puzzling discoveries emotional weight. It suits a quiet family evening, provided adults are prepared for questions about grief and some difficult-to-follow toddler thinking.

**How long is Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, and what is it rated?**

*Little Amélie or the Character of Rain* runs 1h 17m. It is an animation and drama film.

**Where can I watch Little Amélie or the Character of Rain in Israel?**

*Little Amélie or the Character of Rain* is not on any streaming or rental service in Israel at the moment. It is available in 18 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How does Little Amélie or the Character of Rain compare to My Neighbor Totoro?**

*Little Amélie or the Character of Rain* shares [*My Neighbor Totoro*](https://film.one/film/my-neighbor-totoro)’s attention to childhood discoveries, but we recommend *Totoro* more readily for its humour and patient storytelling. Both allow fear alongside delight. *Little Amélie* suits those drawn to watercolour-like animation and a tender relationship between child and adult, though its toddler’s thinking can make the story harder to follow.

**Is Little Amélie or the Character of Rain based on a true story or a book?**

*Little Amélie or the Character of Rain* is adapted from a novel by Amélie Nothomb, bringing grief and wartime history into a three-year-old’s discoveries. We find the affection between Amélie and Nishio-San gives newcomers a way into the story without needing the book, although some connections between the child’s experiences remain hazy.

**What should I watch after Little Amélie or the Character of Rain?**

After *Little Amélie or the Character of Rain*, try [*My Neighbour Totoro*](https://film.one/film/my-neighbor-totoro) (1988, Fi1m 89): Another child’s view of everyday life, with room for fear alongside delight. Then [*The Red Turtle*](https://film.one/film/the-red-turtle) (2016, Fi1m 84): Wordless animation that gives nature, companionship and loss the time they need; and [*Petite Maman*](https://film.one/film/petite-maman) (2021, Fi1m 88): Childhood grief approached through a small, patient story that trusts its audience.

### Reviews we read (16)

- **Empire**, Jordan King (90/100, inferred): The critic finds it a rapturous, emotionally balanced celebration of childhood. They single out its soft, painterly animation and especially praise a standout scene explaining wartime bombings through a rice cooker. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Carlos Aguilar (90/100, inferred): Aguilar calls the film beautiful, life-affirming and emotionally mature. He praises how its animation turns a child’s perspective into imaginative, affecting images. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-11-07/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-review-animation-liane-cho-han-mailys-vallade)
- **The Observer**, Wendy Ide (90/100, inferred): Ide gives the film a strongly positive verdict, calling it poetic and strikingly beautiful. She singles out its shimmering watercolour-like animation and sensory portrayal of childhood discovery. [Read](https://observer.co.uk/culture/film/article/wendy-ides-pick-of-other-films-the-presidents-cake-crime-101-looney-tunes-and-more)
- **The AV Club**, Jacob Oller (B+): Oller praises the film as a vivid, whimsical coming-of-age story with a magic all its own. He singles out its colorful, impressionistic animation and its ability to filter traumatic history through a toddler’s perspective. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-review)
- **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (3/4/4): Jenkins calls it a dazzling, impressive film that sensitively explores childhood. He praises its vibrant colours, expressive character design and lyrical animation. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/little-amelie)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (80/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the animation tender, sweet and poignant in its portrayal of early childhood. He particularly praises its charming blend of European and Japanese animation styles and its final sequence. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/11/little-amelie-review-tender-and-poignant-study-of-the-fragility-of-early-childhood)
- **Time Out**, Olly Richards (4/5): The review calls the animation a pint-sized joy. It praises the wisdom packed into a story about a very little life. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-review-2026)
- **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich (B): Ehrlich praises the film as a splendid, visually arresting coming-of-age story that balances discovery with grief. He singles out its vivid animation and childlike rendering of how the world first appears to a young girl. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-movie-review-1235150260/)
- **Slant Magazine**, Jake Cole (3/4): Cole finds the film a light, charming coming-of-age story with an elegiac undertow. He praises its watercolor-inspired animation for conveying Amélie’s still-forming perspective and her closeness with Nishio. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-review/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Jordan Mintzer (75/100, inferred): Mintzer finds the film a charming, uplifting balance of childhood fantasy and adult realities, though its serious themes may not always feel child-friendly. He praises its vivid, watercolor-like animation and the sensory wonder it brings to Amélie’s discoveries. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-review-charmingly-sensorial-french-animation-flick-depicts-early-childhood-as-magical-and-hauntingly-real-1236395641/)
- **Screen Daily**, Jonathan Holland (70/100, inferred): The standfirst presents the animation as charming. It singles out its adaptation of Amélie Nothomb’s memoir, though the review’s full verdict is inaccessible. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/little-amelie-review-life-in-1960s-japan-through-the-eyes-of-a-belgian-toddler/5204814.article)
- **Variety**, Peter Debruge (70/100, inferred): Debruge finds the film enchanting, though its unusual toddler’s worldview can be difficult to grasp. He praises the distinctive minimalist animation and the emotional depth that develops through Amélie’s bond with Nishio-san. [Read](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-review-1236447627/)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The review page could not be accessed, so its verdict is unavailable. The article’s specific praise or criticism cannot be verified. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/30/movies/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain-review.html)
- **The Wrap** (90/100, inferred): The critic calls the film astoundingly wonderful and says it deserves to stand alongside major studio productions. They single out its painterly, dreamlike animation and its deeply moving perspective on Amélie’s life. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/little-amelie-review-annecy/)
- **Deadline**, Damon Wise (80/100, inferred): Wise finds the film a nuanced, darkly delightful meditation on life and death, suited to both sensitive adults and sophisticated children. He praises its handmade pastel animation and its thoughtful treatment of Japanese history and grief. [Read](https://deadline.com/2025/06/little-amelie-review-awards-buzz-annecy-festival-1236434168/)
- **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (75/100, inferred): Kermode finds the film distinctive and suggests its awards prospects may surprise. She particularly praises Amélie’s unforgettable personality and the animation’s distinctive look. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/little-amelie-2025-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)

## Details

- **Director:** Maïlys Vallade, Liane-cho Han
- **Director:** Maïlys Vallade, Liane-cho Han
- **Screenplay:** Aude Py, Eddine Noel, Liane-cho Han, Maïlys Vallade
- **Novel:** Amélie Nothomb
- **Editor:** Ludovic Versace
- **Music:** Mari Fukuhara
- **Producer:** Edwina Liard, Nidia Santiago, Henri Magalon
- **Cast:** Loïse Charpentier as Amélie (voice); Victoria Grobois as Nishio-San (voice); Yumi Fujimori as Kashima-San (voice); Cathy Cerda as Claude the Grandmother (voice); Marc Arnaud as Patrick the Father (voice); Laëtitia Coryn as Daniele the Mother (voice); Haylee Issembourg as Juliette (voice); Isaac Schoumsky as André (voice)
- **Runtime:** 1h 17m
- **First release (France):** 20 May 2025
- **Genres:** Animation, Drama, Family
- **Budget:** $11 million
- **Box office:** $2 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRDBXP9QQwg

## Where to watch in Israel

Not streaming, renting or buying in Israel at the last check.

Also available in: AE, AR, BE, BR, CA, CL, CO, ES, FR, GB, IE, IN, IT, JP, MX, NL, PA, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2025: Best Animated Feature (nominated)
- Annecy Cristal for a Feature Film 2025: Annecy Cristal for a Feature Film (nominated)
- Annie Award for Best Animated Feature 2025: Annie Award for Best Animated Feature (nominated)
- Critics' Choice Awards 2025: Best Animated Feature (nominated)
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film 2025: Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film (won)

## If you liked this

- *My Neighbour Totoro* (1988), Fi1m 89: Another child’s view of everyday life, with room for fear alongside delight. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/my-neighbor-totoro.md)
- *The Red Turtle* (2016), Fi1m 84: Wordless animation that gives nature, companionship and loss the time they need. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-red-turtle.md)
- *Petite Maman* (2021), Fi1m 88: Childhood grief approached through a small, patient story that trusts its audience. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/petite-maman.md)
- *The Spirit of the Beehive* (1973), Fi1m 87: For adults: a child’s private discoveries unfold amid the aftermath of war. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-spirit-of-the-beehive.md)
- *Ernest & Celestine* (2012), Fi1m 84: Softly drawn animation with a stubborn friendship and a welcome distrust of rules. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ernest-and-celestine.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/little-amelie-or-the-character-of-rain