"Kirikou", differencing something and someone: a commentary on the dialectic between relationship and power bonds in the tales of "Kirikou"

Abstract

In the world of narrative it often happens that the attribution of the fairy tale or wonderful story to the realm of childhood leads the general public to assume from these stories a simpleton or superficial character that is only condoned by their moralizing purpose. This obfuscation enmasks the true seriousness of these tales’ contents. When approached with this in mind, Michel Ocelot’s Kirikou films disclose an exploration of the delicate difference between love and use, between violence and relationship, all from the acknowledgement of intimacy as the specific space for the interpersonal encounter. This issue is presented by focusing on sexuality in its dual possibility: as a language of intimacy and as an instrument of violence. Sexuality is looked at beyond the biological-genital plane, as a dimension that ultimately refers to the ability to distinguish between someone and something