A fancy dress ball takes place in a strange palace. The host is unknown. The theme: "your idea of human representation”. During the course of this mysterious and rather frightening evening, each guest is transformed into his own character and the intrigue thickens.

Five further stories from the French designer, writer and director Michel Ocelot: La Maîtresse des monstres, Le Pont du petit cordonnier, Le Mousse et sa chatte, L'Écolier sorcier, and Ivan Tsarévitch et la Princesse Changeante. This compilation movie has only been released in Japan.

Studio Ghibli is Japan's most successful animation studio, with helmers Hayao Miyazaki ("Spirited Away," "My Neighbor Totoro") and Isao Takahata ("Grave of The Fireflies," "The Tale of Princess Kaguya") creating a bonanza for producer/prexy Toshio Suzuki. Generously adorned with clips from their films and their influences, the docu follows Ghibli's arc from a mid-'60s rebellion against working conditions at Toei Co. to its present powerhouse position, complete with public fun park. All interviews are illuminating, but Miyazaki is teasingly confined to pic's tete-a-tete finale with esteemed French comic artist Jean "Moebius" Giraud. Meeting of the wizened European, whose imprint is on films from "Blade Runner" to "The Fifth Element," and the apparently relaxed Nipponese helmer makes an interesting contrast, and will be of special interest to Francophiles. All credits are impeccable

In a white lace universe, three inventors create machines which are both pretty and useful. Unfortunately people do not understand them...

Four tales about princesses and adventurers around the world: The Mistress of Monsters, The Wizard Student, The Ship's Boy and His Cat, and Ivan Tsarevitch and his changeable princess.

I told a story, Kirikou and the Sorceress, that reached a large number of people. It was the first time in my life. But this film was not my first one. I had also made short films, with a very limited distribution. Nobody saw them. I am lucky enough now to introduce them to you, to make these little mechanisms run again; they are the result of perseverance and passion. Besides the almost forgotten past, I have added a dance of today, which I conceived for Björk. Also something of the future, a post-scriptum to my film "Azur & Asmar". In addition to the films, I try to explain the happy magic of these bits of nothing which became my life. Michel Ocelot

On her throne, a princess welcomes her suitors under the watchful eye of her family and the kingdom. Down below, amongst the crowd, struggles a poor hunchback.

A hard-working peasant begins his day by praising Saint Martin, who descends from the heavens and rewards him by granting him and his cruel, browbeating wife four wishes.