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The first ever European CGI-animated feature and France's answer to North American CGI flicks like Toy Story, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within and Ice Age, Kaena: The Prophecy will receive a limited release stateside. Probably only of real interest to hardcore animation fans, the film features voice work by a compendium of well-known actors, including Kirsten Dunst, who has previously given voice to animated characters such as Becky Thatcher in The Animated Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Kiki in Hayao Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service.

A futuristic sci-fi tale set in a "tree world" named Axis, the people of the planet become endangered when the giant tree that is their source of life comes dangerously close to running out of sap. All efforts to appeal to the gods are in vain, but a young woman named Kaena has had strange visions that convince her that the tree is calling to her for help. Against all of her tribes taboos and the supreme authority of the Grand Priest, the rebellious Kaena leaves her village to journey to Axis's deepest roots.

As she comes down from the clouds, she meets a tribe known as the Selenites. Led by a queen (Anjelica Huston), this race is attempting to keep the tree from dying as well, but their means of doing so are less than noble. They have enslaved another race. Can Kaena help all of the peoples by discovering what has caused the tree's distress?

According to the director, this project was over seven years in the making and was created on a budget of $27 million. It opened in France last year and has received only middling reviews, partly for its story and partly for its already nearly outdated animation style. Nonetheless, it should be a film of interest for fans of independent and foreign cinema for its place in the CGI-animation hierarchy. (Kim Hollis/BOP)

Vital statistics for Kaena: The Prophecy Main Cast Kirsten Dunst, Richard Harris, Anjelica Huston Supporting Cast Keith David, Michael McShane, Greg Proops Director Pascal Pinon, Chris Delaporte Screenwriter Tarik Hamdine, Chris Delaporte Distributor Samuel Goldwyn Co. Trailer Click Here for Trailer Official Site http://www.kaena-the-prophecy.com/ Rating PG-13 Running Time 81 minutes Screen Count 1 Talent in red has entry in The Big Picture

Comparison films for Kaena: The Prophecy
Title	Date	Opening	Adjusted Opening	Screens	PSA	Adj PSA	Total BO	Adjusted Total	Mult
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within	7/13/01	11.41	12.17	2649	4307.00	4421.3	32.13	34.29	2.15
Spirited Away	9/20/02	0.45	0.46	26	17302.00	17302.0	9.96	10.35	22.13
Princess Mononoke	10/29/99	0.14	0.16	8	18056.00	20615.1	2.30	2.74	15.91