“Vaillante”: the little girl who dreamed of being a firefighter

THE OPINION OF THE “WORLD” – TO SEE

Producer of many popular films (The Heartbreaker2010, of which he was also one of the co-screenwriters; Untouchables2011; Ballerina2016; The sense of celebration, 2017…), Laurent Zeitoun had never tried directing before. Not that he crosses alongside Theodore Ty (whose experience was built over ten years in Disney studios then in those of DreamWorks) with this animated feature film. Which features a daredevil young heroine, capable of embodying the feminist content of the story and conducive to generating the action on which the screenplay is largely based. Valiant favors movement, slams primary colors to saturation, and the streets of New York resemble those of amusement parks. Logical, since the film tends above all to provide entertainment. And, on this ground, manages to embark us, in spite of some thick strings.

Ever since she was little, Georgia has aspired to become a firefighter, to follow in her father’s footsteps. Well let’s say rather, “as he used to be”, because to raise his daughter alone, Shawn made the choice to become a tailor, a safer and more regular job. But the kid, she does not budge, she will take over. And compels himself, in the meantime, to bodybuilding exercises, to become as strong as a boy. Only we are in the 1930s, in New York, and women are not allowed to become firefighters.

Curious fires

A leap in time shows her, a little older, in her father’s workshop quilting and sewing. Georgia therefore had to give up her dream, to the great relief of her father who, on the contrary, will have to return to service. Indeed, curious fires have been ravaging the theaters of Broadway for some time. Fires during which the city’s firefighters mysteriously disappear one after the other. The mayor of the city summons Shawn and asks him to lead the investigation. Georgia sees this as an opportunity: disguised as a boy, she joins her father’s small team incognito (composed only of a crazy driver and a self-taught chemistry enthusiast), leaves to face the fire to find the vanished firefighters.

The character of Georgia was inspired by Rochelle Jones, the first woman to become a firefighter, in 1982, in New York

Shawn will struggle to control his trio of undisciplined amateurs, they will be the cause of some disasters and the company will often prove to be risky. But everyone will find in him unsuspected strength and courage. In particular Georgia, whose character was inspired by Rochelle Jones, the first woman to become a firefighter, in 1982, in New York, thus paving the way for all those to whom the film pays tribute, in its end credits.

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