Inspired by the true story of the first giraffe to visit France, Zarafa is a sumptuously animated and stirring adventure, and a throwback to a bygone era of hand-drawn animation and epic storytelling set among sweeping CinemaScope vistas of parched desert, wind-swept mountains and open skies. Under the cover of darkness a small boy, Maki, loosens the shackles that bind him and escapes into the desert night. Pursued by slavers across the moon-lit savannah, Maki meets Zarafa, a baby giraffe – and an orphan, just like him – as well as the nomad Hassan, Prince of the Desert. Hassan takes them to Alexandria for an audience with the Pasha of Egypt, who orders him to deliver the exotic animal as a gift to King Charles of France.

Felicie and Charles have a serious if whirlwind holiday romance. Due to a mix-up on addresses they lose contact, and five years later at Christmas-time Felicie is living with her mother in a cold Paris with a daughter as a reminder of that long-ago summer. For male companionship she oscillates between hairdresser Maxence and the intellectual Loic, but seems unable to commit to either as the memory of Charles and what might have been hangs over everything. Written by Jeremy Perkins {J-26}

Algiers, 1940. MAMAN TITINE has lived alone with her five children ever since her husband JOSEPH, a Jewish post office employee, set off for Paris with forged papers to find work. Maman Titine tries to hide the fact she's worried # especially so that she can ease the childhood problems of her son MEYER, an intelligent, proud and nonconformist young boy who loves her in a jealous way. When financial trouble and loneliness threaten to finally get the better of her she travels to occupied Paris in an attempt to persuade Joseph to return. He has to remain, however: he cannot earn a living in war-torn Algiers. Meanwhile Meyer is growing up; he has his first sexual experiences, and tries as best he can to keep the family fed. When Joseph returns in 1945 Meyer, who fought on De Gaulle's side at the age of nearly 18, goes to France. He studies medicine there and becomes a famous surgeon. Written by Anonymous

In 1922, a young novelist goes to the countryside to write her latest book and falls victim to terrifying hallucinations and nightmares.