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Arco’ Expands Nationwide as Oscar-Nominated Sci‑Fi Fable Wins Over Critics

The Oscar-nominated French feature expands in U.S. theaters to strong reviews.

Overview

  • Neon’s release widened from a Jan. 23 limited opening to a nationwide rollout on Jan. 30 after a strong festival run.
  • Set across two futures, the film follows a 10-year-old time traveler who crashes into 2075 and befriends Iris in a world of storm domes, hologram parents, and robot caregivers.
  • Director Ugo Bienvenu co-wrote the debut feature with Félix de Givry, with Natalie Portman as executive producer and part of an English-language cast that includes Mark Ruffalo, Will Ferrell, Andy Samberg, Flea, and America Ferrera.
  • Reviews praise the hand-drawn 2D worldbuilding and tender, child-centered storytelling, noting inspirations from Miyazaki and Moebius without calling the film derivative.
  • Critics also note the use of AI-generated synthetic voices for some robot characters, a deliberate and uncanny choice that has become part of the conversation around the film.