Aarcflick

 There’s one path in particular that the creators of “Arco,” a poignant animated film set to premiere in the Special Screenings section at Cannes 2025, hope to follow, whether they say so or not: the path of “Flow.” That animated triumph premiered to great acclaim at Cannes in 2024 and gradually gained momentum until finally winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature earlier this year. Despite all that Cannes represents for world cinema, it has never been a particularly fertile ground for animation: the festival used to host spectacular premieres of blockbuster hits like “Shrek 2” and “Bee Movie,” not future Oscar winners. Director: Ugo Bienvenu Writers: Ugo Bienvenu, Félix de Givry Stars: Margot Ringard Oldra, Oscar Tresanini, Nathanaël Perrot This critic is no expert in Oscar predictions, but it seems unlikely that “Arco” will repeat that success. It's not that it isn't a worthwhile film—though not as worthwhile as the universal and wordless "Flow," which, at times...