''Sahara'' is a 2017 French-Canadian-American 3D computer-animated adventure film directed by Pierre Coré (in his directorial debut) and distributed by

StudioCanal StudioCanal S.A.S. (formerly known as Le Studio Canal+, Canal Plus, Canal+ Distribution, Canal+ D.A., Canal+ Production, and Canal+ Image and also known as StudioCanal International) is a French film production and distribution company that owns ...

. The film was released on January 18, 2017, and received negative reviews from critics.

Plot

In the desert, where the animals are called "Dusties", Ajar the cobra and his best friend, Pitt the

scorpion Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always en ...

, steal a

watermelon Watermelon (''Citrullus lanatus'') is a flowering plant species of the Cucurbitaceae family and the name of its edible fruit. A scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, it is a highly cultivated fruit worldwide, with more than 1,000 varie ...

from a camelcade, only to have it taken by an older cobra named Saladin. The duo are a frequent target of belittling by Saladin and are viewed as outcasts. Ajar, tired of being a "loser", decides they should go into the Oasis, a haven for the rich and highly sophisticated green snakes but is forbidden to the Dusties. Ajar disguises himself as a green snake and then enters the Oasis. He meets a green snake named Eva, who disguised herself as a Dusty in attempt to escape the Oasis. They are then ambushed by

Secretary bird The secretarybird or secretary bird (''Sagittarius serpentarius'') is a large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey. Endemic to Africa, it is usually found in the open grasslands and savanna of the sub-Saharan region. John Frederick Miller describe ...

s, who chase them to the edge of a cliff. Eva and Ajar jump off the cliff, landing in a river. The disguises wash off in the river, revealing their true identities to one another. Being a Dusty, Ajar is not able to swim and almost drowns, but is saved by Eva, who revives him with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Ajar and Eva become friends after that and Ajar falls in love with Eva, but Eva is then captured by Omar, a snake charmer and skinner. Ajar gives chase, but he and Pitt are captured by Chief-Chief, one of the secretary birds guarding the Oasis. The two are taken to the birds' base, where Chief-Chief and the other birds threaten to kill them. However, Ajar uses Gary, Eva's lazy and dim witted brother, as a hostage, and they escape on the back of one of the secretary birds. When Pitt accidentally stings the bird, it loses consciousness and the trio continue on the ground. Meanwhile, Eva meets other snakes that have been caught by Omar, including the twins, Lulu Belle and Lily Belle, a charming green snake named George, a white snake named Pietra, who dislikes her, but greets her like the others do, and a red python named Rita. The snakes tell Eva of their professions, and Omar then takes them all out, where he plays the flute. Eva tries to escape Omar, but is hypnotized by the sound of the flute and goes back. When the snakes are returned into the basket, Pietra offers Eva a method of escape through a hole in the basket in an attempt to get rid of her. However, both are caught by Omar. He forces them to compete in a dance-off. Eva wins, while Pietra is put into the basket of snakes that are to be skinned. Gary, Ajar, and Pitt, still on their quest, fall into a cave, where they are greeted by Glow-Worms. The Glow-Worm King gives them directions to find Eva, but then try to lure them in as prey, and the three narrowly escape. Soon after, they climb into a jeep with some tourists, but are discovered and Pitt is separated from the others. They then find a fast-talking sandfish, who leaves them with the name, Souksoukville, then leaves. Ajar and Gary find an oasis, where they rest for the night and slowly become friends after Ajar reveals he and Pitt are the only friends they have (since Pitt's family was killed by the Tuaregs) and Gary reveals he has no friends at all. Pitt stays at the tourists' camp, where he joins a group of scorpions. Ajar and Gary find a well at the oasis. They ride a bucket down to escape a sandstorm, and then arrive at another town. They follow Omar's ads to get to his store, where Ajar sees Eva and the other snakes trapped in a cage, and George embracing Eva. Mistaking the encounter for a romantic one, Ajar almost gives up on his quest until he releases a ceiling fan, which falls on top of the cage, freeing all the snakes. Omar sees this and runs to get his flute, but Ajar takes it. Omar pursues Ajar around the city, where the sandstorm rages. Ajar is chased at the top of a

mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...

, where Omar tries to grab the flute, but breaks it. He grabs Ajar so he doesn't fall off the building, but Ajar's skin comes off, and Omar disappears into the sandstorm. The storm calms, and Ajar falls onto a platform below. He is found by Eva and Gary and is thought to be dead, much to their dismay, but he then awakens. Eva realizes that Ajar had crossed a desert for her, and the two kiss. Omar then appears, but falls unconscious after Pitt stings him. He introduces them to Emily, a scorpion from the group he had stayed with earlier. Ajar, Eva, Emily, Pitt, Gary, and Pietra drive away in a tourist car. As the van drives off, the fast-talking sandfish appears next to a camel, and tells it (and also the viewers) that Ajar and Eva might go back and live happily ever after at the Oasis and teach the Dusties and Green Snakes to live together as equals, but he claims to have no idea on whether or not this happens.

Voice cast

French and English voice actors are listed: *

Omar Sy Omar Sy (, ff, 𞤌𞤥𞤢𞤪 𞤅𞤭, Omar Si; born 20 January 1978) is a French actor, best known in France for his sketches with Fred Testot on the '' Service après-vente des émissions'' television show on Canal+ (2005–2012). He gain ...

and Robert Naylor - Ajar *

Louane Emera Anne Peichert (; born 26 November 1996), known by her stage name Louane Emera () or simply Louane, is a French singer and actress. She is best known for being a semi-finalist in the 2013 season of '' The Voice: la plus belle voix'' in France ...

and

Angela Galuppo Angela Galuppo is a Canadian film, television and voice actress. She is best known as the frontlady of the Montreal-based band St. Ange, and for her recurring role as Bridget in the television series '' Being Human'' as well as providing the voic ...

- Eva *

Franck Gastambide Franck Gastambide (; born 31 October 1978) is a French actor, film director, screenwriter and producer. He became famous in 2009 after creating the first web series from Canal+, ''Kaïra Shopping'', which was later shown on television and adapted ...

and

Daniel Brochu Daniel Brochu (born February 28, 1970) is a Canadian actor. Early life Brochu came from a single parent family, like his character Buster Baxter on ''Arthur''. Career Brochu is best known for voicing Buster Baxter in the PBS TV series ''Arthur ...

- Pitt *

Vincent Lacoste Vincent Lacoste (born 3 July 1993) is a French actor. He began his acting career at the age of fifteen, playing the lead role of Hervé in the film ''The French Kissers''. The role won him the Lumières Award for Most Promising Actor and a nomin ...

and Mark Hauser - Gary *

Grand Corps Malade Fabien Marsaud (born 31 July 1977), known professionally as Grand Corps Malade (GCM), is a French slam poet and lyricist. He has released seven studio albums so far, all of them reaching top-five status on the French SNEP chart. GCM started wri ...

and Brady Moffatt - Omar *

Roschdy Zem Roschdy Zem (born 27 September 1965) is a French actor and filmmaker of Moroccan descent. He shared the award for Best Actor for his role in the film '' Days of Glory'' at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. Career Versatile and determined to not ...

and Mathew Mackay - Saladin *

Jonathan Lambert Jonathan Lambert (February 11, 1772 - May 27, 1812) was an American sailor. He was the first settler, and the self-proclaimed ruler of the Tristan da Cunha archipelago. Biography Lambert was born in Salem, Massachusetts. After a tumultuous ca ...

and

Richard Dumont Richard M. Dumont (born 1959 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian voice actor, writer and director who has worked in both Canada and the United States. Dumont is known for playing Sardo, who owned a magic shop called Sardo's Magic Mansion, in ma ...

- Michael *

Marie-Claude Pietragalla Marie-Claude Georgette Yvonne Pietragalla (born 2 February 1963 in Paris) is a French dancer and choreographer. Biography Pietragalla was born in Paris to a Coriscan father and mother from Bordeaux. At 16, she joined the Ballet de l'Opera Natio ...

and Nadia Verrucci - Pietra *

Mathilde Seigner Mathilde Seigner (born 17 January 1968) is a French actress. Early life Seigner was born in Paris. She is the granddaughter of actor Louis Seigner (1903–1991). She is the sister of Emmanuelle Seigner and a niece of Françoise Seigner. Ca ...

and Sonja Ball - Rita, Lulu Belle *

Jean Dujardin Jean Edmond Dujardin (; born 19 June 1972) is a French actor and comedian. He began his career as a stand-up comedian in Paris before guest starring in comedic television programmes and films. He first came to prominence with the cult TV series ...

and Andrew Shaver - George *

Michaël Youn Michaël Benayoun (; born 1973), known professionally as Michaël Youn, is a French actor, singer, comedian and television personality. Life and career Youn was born Michaël Benayoun in Suresnes, France, to a family of Hungarian, Italian, ...

and Rick Jones - Sandfish * Clovis Cornillac and Rick Jones - Glow Worm King * Reem Kherici - Alexandrie *

Arthur Holden Arthur Holden (born August 28, 1959) is a Canadian actor and writer. Known for his roles such as Mr. Ratburn in ''Arthur'', Baba-Miao in ''Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat'', Mayor Mallard in ''The Little Twins'', and Mr. Larkin in later episode ...

- Sergeant * Terrence Scammell - Chief Chief *Matthew Stefiuk - Snake Eagle *Elana Dunkelman - Emily, Lily Belle *

- Pietra *

Ramzy Bedia Ramzy Habib El Haq Bedia ( ar, رمزي حبيب إل حق بيديا ; born March 10, 1972) is a French actor, screenwriter and film director of Algerian descent. He started his career as a comedian in 1994 after meeting Eric Judor with whom ...

- Chief Chief *

Sabrina Ouazani Sabrina Ouazani (born 6 December 1988) is a French actress of Algerian descent. She is best known internationally for her performance as Frida in ''Games of Love and Chance'' and as Charlotte Ben Smires in Netflix's hit rom-com series '' The Ho ...

- Alexandra

Production

The voicing of Ajar was difficult for

due to the fact that the character was a teenage snake and Omar needed to express excitement, fragility and a lack of self-confidence.

Accolades

Sahara was nominated and named in the category "Best Animation Film" at Les Cesar Academy 2018. It was the first French animated film at the box office in 2017.

References

External links

* {{Netflix original animated series and films 2010s adventure films 2017 films 2017 3D films 2017 computer-animated films Canadian animated feature films 2010s children's animated films 2010s French animated films Animated films about snakes Films set in Africa Animated adventure films StudioCanal films StudioCanal animated films 2010s Canadian films 2010s American films 2010s British films