Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem

Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem (2003) — watch online on iFILM — is a dialogue-free animated musical film, a joint project by French electronic duo Daft Punk and manga legend Leiji Matsumoto. Every track from the Discovery album plays out as one continuous visual story.

Four alien musicians — blue-skinned, gifted, beloved on their home planet — are abducted mid-concert by a corrupt Earth record producer named Count Darkwood. He wipes their memories, repackages them as The Crescendolls, and rides them to global pop stardom. Space pilot Shep crosses the galaxy to rescue bass player Stella, the one he loves. Matsumoto's signature aesthetic — retro-futurist ships, warm 1970s colour palettes, wide-eyed characters — wraps around Daft Punk's beats with surprising precision.

Directed by Kazuhisa Takenouchi alongside Matsumoto, the 67-minute film sits at the crossroads of feature animation, extended music video and science fiction. Stream Interstella 5555 online on iFILM in full.