Daniel Garber talks with Eric San (Kid Koala) about Space Cadet at ReelAsian

Posted in Animation, Coming of Age, Family, Friendship, Robots, Science Fiction, Space by CulturalMining.com on November 1, 2025

Hi, this is Daniel Garber at the Movies for culturalmining.com and CIUT 89.5 FM.

It’s the near future in a major North American city. Celeste is a graduate of the space academy, studying rockets since she was a little girl. Her mother was a famous astronaut who disappeared on a space mission. So she is raised by a robot, who serves as her best friend and her parental unit. Now it’s her turn:  she’s heading out on a six month trip into the far reaches of the galaxy… and beyond. Can Celeste travel to new planets, collecting samples for scientific research and return safely to her home? And will her beloved robot still be waiting for this space cadet?

Space Cadet is a new animated film entirely without spoken dialogue. It’s a funny, poignant and bittersweet look at our futures. It’s the work of Montreal-based composer, musician, graphic novelist, scratch DJ, and director/producer Kid Koala, aka Eric San. His music has appeared on everything from NFB films to Sesame Street, movies like Scott Pilgrim and Baby Driver, and even Nintendo games. Space Cadet played at TIFF and Berlin to great acclaim.

I last spoke with Kid Koala on this show in 2014.

Space Cadet is playing at the ReelAsian on November 5, 2025, and will be released theatrically in Canada in 2026.
Other events:
Space Cadet: Festival Opening Night Gala
November 5, 2025 at 7:30Pm at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema
https://www.reelasian.com/festival-events/space-cadet/
Space Cadet: Artist Talk with Kid Koala and Lillian Chan – November 6 at 2.00pm CineCyle
https://www.reelasian.com/festival-events/space-cadet-artist-talk/
Space Cadet: Relaxed Screening
November 8 at 10:00AM at TIFF Lightbox Cinema 3
https://www.reelasian.com/festival-events/relaxed-screening-space-cadet/

 

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  1. […] including two great ones from Canada: Min Sook Lee’s heart-wrenching doc There are No Words, and Koala Kid’s whimsical, animated Space Cadet. Cinefranco has movies in French from Europe, Africa, and Quebec, including many Toronto premieres: […]

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