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Chronopolis is a French science fiction film directed by Piotr Kamler and released in 1982. The movie is a stunning animation that is mainly constructed of abstract images with an overarching plot that revolves around a city called Chronopolis, which runs entirely on clockwork. The film is set in a dystopian future where the world has been taken over by an advanced technological civilization. The society has reached a point where all machines are automated and work so efficiently that the population has no need for human labor; machines run everything. In this world, time has become such an essential component of technology to the point where the society relies solely on timekeeping. The lives of the citizens of the city are determined by the machines that are activated based on specific times, and everything follows a strict schedule.

The story follows a character called Lev, a worker in the city who maintains and repairs the complex machinery. Through his work, he becomes increasingly disillusioned and restless, leading him to question the order of things in Chronopolis. He yearns to explore the world beyond the city walls and think beyond the confines of his society's clockwork structure.

As Lev’s curiosity grows, he begins to rebel against the machines that control their everyday lives. He learns of a mystical device capable of disrupting the city's precise system and sets out to find it. Along the way, Lev meets a variety of interesting characters, including a man with a birdcage on his head, representing the constraint under which the people of the city live.

The narrative of Chronopolis is conveyed through its stunning visuals, rather than traditional cinematic techniques. The animation is predominantly done using a series of sketches, ink blotches and abstract shapes, ensuring the viewer pays attention to his curiosity-enhancing and cerebral story-telling. The film's score, created by composer Luc Ferrari, works seamlessly, to add to the hypnotic and mesmerizing atmosphere of the movie.

Chronopolis presents an extraordinary perspective on dystopia as opposed to the usual bleakness presented by other science fiction pieces. Rather than presenting a world that is destroyed, Kamler presents a society that has lost its purpose and is still functional. This portrayal incites audiences to question our relationship with technology, time and labor while also acknowledging the benefits they offer.

Overall, Chronopolis is an excellent film that provides a well-crafted thought-provoking cinematic experience. The animation and sound in the movie are incredibly dynamic, leading you to imagine the significance of a world without mechanization escalation. By making the story's interaction between human and technological advancements the central focus, Chronopolis forms a truly mesmerizing piece striking visually to the eye of the viewer.