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Poupelle of Chimney Town

Seeing Past the Smoke: 1on1 with Tony Hale (POUPELLE OF CHIMNEY TOWN)

January 10, 2022 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

As we continue to move through the haze of the pandemic, sometimes it can feel like an endless haze has descended upon us all. Stuck in a seemingly endless mid-point, we continue to look beyond the COVID world, squinting to see some form of hope on the other side.

It’s for that reason that actor Tony Hale (Toy Story 4, Arrested Development) believes that his latest project, Poupelle of Chimney Town, is the movie we need right now.

“The story itself is based in this very popular children’s book of the same name and takes this little character named Lubicchi,” he begins. “He’s a little boy who lives in a town full of smoke and the father tells him that there’s stars above the smoke. And everybody in the town says, ‘You’re crazy. You’re crazy. You’re crazy.’ But Lubbichi believes [his father] and my character comes along and helps him on this journey to find the stars. I just think, man, after what we’ve all been going through these two years, just that hope of like, ‘Hey, we’re gonna get past this. There’s something on the other side.’ In addition to that, the animation is crazy beautiful. It has this kind of ethereal-like jewel-tone watercolor. It’s just so stunning. We, as voice actors, are a very, very small slice of this pie. Most of the pie is all the artists working on it.” 

Directed by Yuusuke Hirota, Poupelle of Chimney Town takes place in a city covered by a thick layer of black smoke that has prevented its people from ever seeing the sky. Though the people have accepted the darkness, young Lubicchi (Antonio Raul Corbo) clings to the stories of stars told to him by his late father, Bruno (Stephen Root). Working as a chimney sweep in order to pay the bills and care for his sick mother, Lola (Misty Lee), Lubicchi has become a social outcast and struggles to connect with other kids. However, his life changes when a man made of garbage stumbles out of the night. Naming his new friend Poupelle (Hale), Lubicchi accepts this ‘monster’ when others won’t and the two begin to look for the stars together. 

Branded a monster by the townspeople, Poupelle is kept at a distance by others out of fear. However, in Lubicchi, he finds a young man who (eventually) is willing to see beyond his exterior of garbage to the beautiful soul that lies beneath. In doing so, Hale believes that the film begins a conversation about the poisonous nature of labels and how they limit our ability to connect with people. 

“[A label is] so toxic because it kills uniqueness and what somebody is bringing to the table when they’re being forced to fit into a category or a mold,” he explains. “And the fact is there’s a lot of different branches to the tree of humanity. There are so many different branches, but we don’t feel comfortable with that almost, you know? And so [a label] is incredibly toxic because it’s restrictive. That made me think of when I did Toy Story 4, there was this character named Gabby Gabby in the store and she was considered the evil doll. Forky, my character, didn’t know anything so he just kind of got started getting to know her. Everybody was putting a label on her and he just got to know her, much like Lubicchi was Poupelle. And because of that breaking through, that union, the labels came off and you be able to hear the person’s story. You can be able to get past their trauma and see their humanity and man, what power is that?” 

Although Lubicchi cares about Poupelle, their relationship definitely has its conflicts. As their push/pull dynamic comes into play, Hale sees that both characters have issues that they’re working out. Even so, he also believes that the trust between them is rooted in their willingness to truly see one another.

“It’s like any friendship, kind of,” says Hale. “Also, Poupelle is kind of this being made of garbage come into the town and he’s dealing with his own [questions about] what’s going on. But I think it’s always about trust. Lubicchi hasn’t had a lot of support from the town [in regards to] believing his vision and where he’s going and you know, trusting that this Poupelle does believe in him. What I love about this relationship is it just takes that one person who believes in you and sees you that gives you the strength to do it. Poupelle really sees Lubicchi and he really believes in him.” 

With this in mind, one of the key tensions within the film lies between Lubicchi’s decision to ‘keep looking up and the Inquisitors’ commitment to snuffing out such beliefs. Asked why he believes Lubicchi’s views are such a threat to the powers that be, Hale argues that there is a certain amount of danger that lies within change itself.
“I think it’s a threat because change is scary,” he suggests. “Even though they live in a town of smoke and even though there’s this hope, change is scary. They don’t want to believe beyond their framework because they’ve created that [sense of] what I’m comfortable in. And so that’s scary. So, they’ll fight against that, but man not look up. I mean, I personally am a person of faith and I look up all the time because it brings a reference point to my life. It makes me know that I’m not in charge, which is a huge gift because it gets scary. So, it’s a huge source of strength for me.” 

Having said this though, Hale also argues that the sense of hope embedded within the film is what makes it so essential for audiences right now. Coming at a moment when we have all been beaten down so many different cultural issues, Poupelle of Chimney Town offers a message of strength and encouragement in a troubled time.

“Honestly, I think there’s a lot of beautiful movies, but there’s something [about] this movie that, for this point in time, [is] life-giving. It’s redemptive [and] it’s strengthening. Obviously, there are a lot of dark things out there. That’s also strengthening people because they might feel seen in certain ways, but the hope that this provides I think is the medicine that we need right now. Definitely.” 

Poupelle of Chimney Town is now available in select theatres.

To hear our complete conversation with Tony Hale click here (YouTube) or here (podcast).

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Interviews Tagged With: Arrested Development, Poupelle of Chimney Town, Tony Hale, Toy Story 4, Veep

Poupelle of Chimney Town: Keep Looking Up

January 5, 2022 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Sometimes, when you can’t see beyond, it’s only the belief in something more that keeps you going.

Directed by Yuusuke Hirota, Poupelle of Chimney Town takes place in a city covered by a thick layer of black smoke that has prevented its population from ever seeing the sky. Though the people have accepted the darkness, young Lubicchi (Antonio Raul Corbo) clings to the stories of stars told to him by his late father, Bruno (Stephen Root). Working as a chimney sweep in order to care for his sick mother, Lola (Misty Lee), Lubicchi has become a social outcast and struggles to connect with other kids. However, his life changes when a man made of garbage stumbles out of the night. Naming his new friend ‘Poupelle’ (Tony Hale), Lubicchi accepts this ‘monster’ when others won’t and the two begin to look for the stars together.

Featuring stunning animation and the purest of hearts, Poupelle of Chimney Town is an absolute joy from start to finish. Based on the children’s book by Akihiro Nishino, Poupelle looks and feels like a bedtime story. Bursting with colour, the film seamlessly fuses 2D animation with 3D rendering in a unique and stylized manner that gives every scene an artistic aura. First time director Hirota has created a world that consists of both incredible beauty and dark oppression and the blend of visuals absolutely pop onscreen. 

While voice work can be forgettable in animated projects, most of the cast seems fully engaged with their characters, especially its leads. Young star Antonio Raul Corbo gives an emotionally engaging performance as the over-burdened but hopeful Lubicchi. At the same time, Root and Lee provide solid supporting work as his parents. However, the standout here is Hale who turns in some remarkable work here as Poupelle. Best known for his work as more manic characters such as Arrested Development’s Buster Bluth or the existential toy Forky from Toy Story 4, Hale is an absolute joy as the mysterious ‘garbage man’. As Poupelle, Hale infuses his character with innocence, humility and even an aura of wisdom. In the midst of a chaotic world, Poupelle becomes an anchor of love and support for the young Lubicchi and, as a result, Hale becomes the soul of the film.

And there is a remarkable amount of soul within this Chimney Town.

With a number of different lenses through which to examine its story, Poupelle of Chimney Town manages to work on multiple levels. For example, the film explores a number of social issues, especially through the relationship between economics and power. Without giving any spoilers, the greatest problem within this particular world is that it remains rooted in the acquisition of money. Whether it’s economic disparity between social classes or the power dynamics that create those divisions, Poupelle shows the damage that can be done when money is given priority over the people and their well-being.

Furthermore, the film works as an exploration of the nature of friendship. Broken by the sudden loss of his father over a year ago, Lubicchi and his mother are struggling to get by. Forced to support his family financially, he lives in a world of adulthood and responsibility. As a result, Lubicchi has closed himself off to friendship and pulled away from those his own age. However, with the arrival of Poupelle, his hardened heart begins to show signs of cracking. Even though others view him as a ‘monster’ and Lubicchi initially tries to push him away, Poupelle’s undeniable love and grace begins to get through. Their relationship may be imperfect but Poupelle’s commitment to the young man never fades. Even though he is hunted by the villainous Inquisitors, Poupelle constantly looks for ways to support Lubicchi and remind him of how much he matters.

No matter what oppression Poupelle faces, he never ceases to be loving. 

Similarly, Poupelle also becomes a film about the relationship between hope and belief. Covered by ‘black smokey smoke‘, Chimney Town lives under a blanket of darkness. Having never seen anything other than the congested pollution above, the people of Chimney Town cannot fathom anything larger than their own experience. (In fact, they feel threatened by it.) However, Lubicchi refuses to believes that that’s all that there is to the world. Having been told stories of wonder by his father, he believes that there is more above the clouds. Although the world around him attempts to squash his faith in the stars, he can’t help but believe there’s something more. Just like his father before him, Lubicchi cannot help but ‘keep looking up’. (He even takes a job as a chimney sweep so he can get closer to the mystery of the skies.) To Lubicchi, the mystery beyond is of greater significance than the world in front of him. Though others struggle to accept his stories, his belief in the unseen gives him purpose and restores life to his soul. 

With its emphasis on seeing beyond what’s in front of us, Poupelle of Chimney Town is a bright light in a time marred by an endless pandemic. This is a film that serves as a reminder of the power of love, friendship and believing that things can be better than they are. As Poupelle and Lubicchi work together to pierce the darkness, so too do they spark hope to those that have none. 

All because they choose to ‘keep looking up’.

Poupelle of Chimney Town is available in select theatres now on Friday, December 17th, 2021. Click here for available showings.

To hear our interview with star Tony Hale, click here (YouTube) or here (audio).

To hear our interview with star Misty and Antonio, click here (YouTube) or here (audio)

Poupelle of Chimney Town is nominated at the 2022 Annie Awards for ‘Best Music Feature’.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Film Festivals, Reviews Tagged With: Akihito Nishino, animation, Antonio Raul Corbo, Misty Lee, Poupelle of Chimney Town, Stephen Root, Tony Hale, Yuusuke Hirota

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