The concept of utopia is perhaps as old as human civilization itself. As long as humanity has existed and suffered, we have imagined a better world where all our needs and desires are instantly satisfied without any negative consequences. Utopias also feature prominently in science fiction stories, where some sort of technological breakthrough leads to the creation of a futuristic Garden of Eden. But the thing about utopian science fiction is that it usually has a catch, a harsh Faustian bargain that maintains this paradise (think Donoror Wall-E).
This is not true in ArcoA beautifully hand-drawn new animated film from French illustrator Hugo Bienvenu.
“Utopias are utopias because they are not very well defined,” Bienvenu explained at the screening and Q&A attended by Polygon. “When you define too much, utopia becomes reality.”
Arco begins in the 29th century, in an idyllic world where humanity lives in self-sufficient homes located on giant platforms held high above the Earth by artificial tree-like structures that break through the clouds. Instead of trying to explain how it all worked, Bienvenu relied on general cultural knowledge to fill in the gaps.
“Every foundational text—Japan, the Bible—has heavenly gardens,” he said. “And I really wanted to tap into the viewer's subconscious so I didn't have to explain a lot of things; so I can go faster with some things so I can go deeper with others.”
Before we have a chance to get comfortable with Bienvenu's idea of a utopia, he quickly upends it by plunging his protagonist, a young 29th-century boy named Arco, into the distant past… the 2070s.
The film's near future is far less celestial. Although technology is advancing, these advances are mainly used to counteract the climate chaos caused by global warming. In one of the opening scenes, a raging storm devastates a house while suburban families live behind safety “bubbles” set up to protect their property. On the outskirts of the city, raging fires are constantly burning, threatening danger when the wind changes.
Other achievements in the world ArcoThe near future is more subtle. Smart glasses seem to have replaced smartphones, and residents walk around the world with reflective glasses taped to their heads. Robots have also become commonplace, replacing police and teachers, as well as caretakers.
When Arko travels back in time, he lives with a family and their robot Mickey. For Bienvenue, the robot became a recurring character in various illustrated works, including several comic books.
“For me, Mickey is a way to ask questions,” he says. “I use it in a lot of different jobs.”
IN ArcoMickey takes on new dimensions. First, unlike the comics, he must have a voice. Bienvenue experimented with using artificial intelligence to create Mickey's speaking voice, but was not satisfied with the results.
“It wasn’t good at all,” he said. “There were no emotions.”
So instead, he recorded two different actors speaking the same lines of dialogue and then combined them together to create a single voice, which he describes as an incredibly complex and time-consuming process. This experience taught him a valuable lesson.
“When everything is perfect, we don’t feel anything,” Bienvenu said. “That's what makes us human, and that's why maybe AI isn't going to destroy all jobs.”
But ultimately, whether it's the future of artificial intelligence or the possibility of utopia here on Earth, Bienvenu isn't interested in predicting what's next for humanity. He's far more interested in creating art that reflects the world today than in guessing about where things will go next, even if his work so often relies on science fiction's ability to imagine just that.
Or, as Bivenu put it: “We are not supposed to know the future.”
Arco arrives in theaters November 14th.
