Annecy

Programme for the General Public

Tue, 30 May 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Discover the programme for the general public now!

This year the Festival doors open on Sunday, bestowing you with one extra day of animation film!

A Festival for all!

Throughout the Festival week the general public will be able to enjoy a tailor-made programme: Annecy s’anime screenings including premieres, open-air screenings and a multitude of other events and entertainment! There’s something to enchant all ages.

The Annecy s’anime screenings are always full of surprises and the best film experiences. A few of the treats to see include Nina et le Secret du hérisson, Toopy and Binoo – The Movie, Elemental, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken, and so many more!

From 8:00 pm the open-air screenings kick off with the giant daylight screen on the Pâquier showing animation films for all the family such as Mavka: The Forest Song or Toby Alone. You can also dance and sing-a-long on Friday 16^th June to Music Queens, a story about girl power and pop music, in song by ARTE!

From 22:25 pm onwards, the open-air screenings continue with Little Nicholas – As Happy as Can Be (Le Pâquier), Minions: The Rise of Gru (Le Pâquier), The Book of Life (Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, Seynod), Fantasia 2000 (Le Pâquier) and many more!

Exhibitions throughout the town will also be part of the celebrations! You’ll be able to wander around the Annecy streets and discover exhibitions such as "Polenta, Love and Puppets" about the history of the Ughetto’s family from the film No Dogs or Italians Allowed, and "Mind and Matter" about filmmaker Théodore Ushev’s work.

Annecy s’anime, Solidaire

The Festival promotes inclusion and diversity by offering specially adapted screenings for people with disabilities, as well as subtitled versions and with French sign language interpreters.

As part of the "The Festival Welcomes Difference" programme, the "Spotlight on Neurodevelopmental Disorders" session, in partnership with Annecy Town Hall and local associations, will be showcasing a selection of 8 animated short films to provide a deeper insight into NDDs, which will be followed by a conversation with Julie Dachez.

Annecy s’anime, Solidaire also includes subtitled versions for the deaf and hard of hearing of No Dogs or Italians Allowed and Icarus, with the presence of a French sign language interpreter. Meanwhile, the "Annecy s’anime: A Tribute to Mexican Animation" will be without dialogue or commentary and therefore accessible to everyone!

The Festival Extras

And there’s more! A host of free activities will be awaiting you in cahoots with the Festival, in particular there will be workshops, Signing Sessions and entertainment, not forgetting the regional tour between the 25^th June and 9^th July! Four films from the Official Selection will be travelling around Haute-Savoie to 7 arthouse cinema theatres giving locals the chance to attend the great animation film party after the Festival, yet closer to home because animation is travelling to you!

During the Festival, enjoy a game of Mölkky in the "Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Corner" on the Pâquier or get your Festival poster signed by its creator Jorge R. Gutierrez!

A new offer for schools has been set up that includes special days for classes, meetings with film crews and introductory animation workshops. The Anima-J scheme will continue to be screened in partner cinemas in the local department from 12^th June!

Discover the full programme of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival’s 2023 edition.

See you from 11^th to 17^th June to celebrate animation film and Mexican animation with us!

Discover the Annecy Classics and Midnight Specials Programmes!

Thu, 18 May 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The Annecy Festival, a deliciously rich and eclectic programme...
After announcing the various categories in competition, the Official Selection will include two unmissable programmes the festivalgoers know all too well: the iconoclastic Midnight Specials screenings and the timeless Annecy Classics.

Annecy Classics

To travel through the history of animation film and its fascinating universe, re-watch the classics or discover some animation gems: a programme that brushes away the cobwebs from its heritage!

This year’s line-up, in particular includes:
Rintarō with Galaxy Express 999, Time Masters by René Laloux and Theodore Ushev: Unseen Connections by Borislav Kolev. An exhibition at the Musée-Château will also be dedicated to Ushev: “Theodore Ushev, Mind and Matter”.

Midnight Specials

Exempt from rules and decorum, these screenings are not recommended for the light-hearted (unsuitable for under 16s) and give centre stage to insolence, irreverence and brazenness, and can sometimes be a tad racy! And, as the climax, the glorious WTF programme!

When talent rides tandem with insolence, the experimental and unexpected are never far away: do you love being stupefied? See you at the Midnight Specials!

Check out the full programme:

2023 Programme

Animation Day at Cannes

Fri, 12 May 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The Marché du Film and the Annecy Festival are thrilled to collaborate once again in the organisation of the Animation Day at Cannes.

Animation Day is now considered a key event for the animation film’s global community. In partnership with the Marché du Film, the programme will include screenings and events where experts and enthusiasts will gather together to discuss the genre.

By renewing its support to the industry, Annecy offers a selection of films in production the opportunity to show their development through exclusive first looks, encouraging distributors, investors and sales agents at Cannes to commit to these promising projects!

As part of Animation Day 2023, five films from the Work in Progress Feature Films category will be shown during the Annecy Animation Showcase:

Hina Is Beautiful by Kenji Iwaisawa, in the presence of the director and the producer Yuya Machida.

Silex and the City by Jul and Jean-Paul Guigue, in the presence of the directors and the producer Franck Ekinci.
Heirloom by Upamanyu Bhattacharyya, in the presence of the director, who participated in the 2021 Annecy Festival Residency.
Rock Bottom by María Trénor, in the presence of the producer Alba Sotorra.
The Son of a Bitch (O filho da puta) by Otto Guerra, Tania Anaya, Érica Maradona and Savio Leite, in the presence of the distributor Daniela Menegotto.

Lastly, in an afternoon panel discussion, animation industry experts such as Solveig Langeland, Edward Noeltner and Rodney Uhler, will discuss strategies for international sellers and distributors in different territories. The discussion will be moderated by Perrine Quennesson from Le Film français.

To round off the day, a cocktail reception will be organised to enable attendees to continue their discussions in a relaxed setting.

See you on 21^st May 2023 at the Marché du Film at Cannes!

2023 VR Works Official Selection

Thu, 04 May 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The Annecy Festival reveals its final instalment of the Official Selection competing in 2023: the VR Works.

The VR Works’ selection committee for the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, composed of Gala Frecon and Yves Nougarède, selected 7 immersive works to compete in this category. These VR Works are the final part to the Official Selection for the Festival’s 2023 edition.

Explore the Official Selection’s VR Works.

Discover

"This year, we invite you to discover 7 immersive works among the 91 submitted from 26 different countries. Six nationalities are represented in this selection.
The programme will showcase experimental virtual reality with these ambitious, empirical and musical works, which will share the line-up with films addressing crucial and challenging issues. These topics will involve struggles, abortion rights and the pursuit of idealism. You will embark on a journey at the nexus of the virtual and imaginary, while witnessing the impact of these works on the real world."
Gala Frecon and Yves Nougarède, Selection Committee

These VR Works will be available to discover and try out from 12^th to 16^th June 2023 in the Salle de Création in Bonlieu. Free admission, reservation required.

International Mifa Campus – Nigeria

Wed, 03 May 2023 00:00:00 +0200

As part of its measures to assist professionals in the animation sector, Mifa lent Nigeria its expertise, through an International Mifa Campus – Production.

From April 3 to 6, 2023, Nigeria reinvigorated its ecosystem by partaking of a Lagos-based International Mifa Campus – Production with a special Production Workshop led by French and Nigerian experts: Ariane Suveg (consultant), Odile Perrin (consultant), Ivan Zuber (producer, Laïdak Films), Mbuotidem Johnson (producer, Basement Animation Studio) and Abba Makama (producer, Osiris Film).

The aim of this workshop is to back participants in their professional projects so as to adopt a structural approach and allow a territory to gain strong and complementary skill sets. Through case studies and feedback, as well as through inventorying the country’s audiovisual and cinematographic sector, including an attentive review of needs and shortcomings, the workshop guides six project leaders to address issues and gradually move toward new professional initiatives.

Omoyefe Majoroh (Blac Onyx Studios), Yetunde Ogundipe (BeeReel Pictures), Ashford Etela (Toon Republic Studios), Nkem Nwaturuocha (DisruptDNA), Somto Ajuluchukwu and Tunde Oluwa all joined in this endeavour and shared their views as to potential career progressions.

In this manner Nigeria, which had attended other workshops with Mifa these past few years, confirms its determination to move forward. Next June a Nigerian delegation will attend the International Animation Film Market, and the six project leaders will participate in the Meet the… Sales Agents event, in order to put recent learnings into practice and find future partners.

Get your accreditation

Partenaire du Mifa Campus International

Annecy 2023 Programme

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Along with many other programme features, the next part of the Annecy 2023 Official Selection was revealed during the Festival’s press conference!

At the customary Parisian press conference, held in the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC, the National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image) on 27th April, the Festival’s Artistic Director Marcel Jean announced the next part of this edition’s Official Selection and initial details of the Festival and Mifa programming.

Discover the new categories announced in the Official Selection:

The 11 Feature Films in the Official Competition
The 12 Feature Films in the Contrechamp Competition

Next week, the VR Works will be announced, the final section of the Official Selection.

The dense programme of 27 Screening Events was also presented. Exclusive first looks, all-new announcements and premieres, content that is already monumental!
Among these screenings, the film for the Festival’s Opening Ceremony was also revealed: Sirocco et le Royaume des courants d’air by Benoît Chieux.
Check out all the Screening Events

Also at the Festival, 17 projects in production, the Work in Progress, were presented. Images from 12 feature films, 1 series, 3 VR experiences and 1 short film will be premiere screenings.
Check out all the Work in Progress

This conference was also the opportunity to announce the programme of the Making of and Masterclasses as well as the Conferences, Press Conferences, Market Screenings, Pitches and Partners Pitches at the Mifa, and so much more besides!

Discover the full programme online!

Check out the programme

And view the summary in pictures!

Stay tuned, as the programme will continue to flourish until June and remember to purchase your accreditations to enjoy what promises to be a very thrilling edition!

Get your accreditation

Mexican Animation in the Spotlight

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0200

This year, Annecy is adorned with the colours of Mexican animation.

"Everyone knows Guillermo del Toro, Jorge R. Gutierrez, but what do we really know about Mexican animation, which remains very little-known? Annecy Festival 2023 will give pride of place to Mexican animation, putting it in the spotlight this year. This is why we asked Mexican programmers to provide us with an overview of this great country’s entire historical production. This will be the chance for the festivalgoers to discover many films, some of which were screened at Annecy, some were Annecy award-winners, but also others that will be screened here for the very first time."
Marcel Jean, the Festival’s Artistic Director

This year, Annecy is adorned with the colours of Mexican animation with its 9 distinctive programmes.

Mexican Archeology: Back to Mexican animation’s roots, this programme highlights the experimental and historical works reflecting the multiplicity and milestones in Mexico’s animation history.
Guadalajara School: The birthplace of one of Mexican animation’s most iconic visuals, Guadalajara is a constant source of inspiration. Explore this inimitable vibe through a selection of works from 2001 to 2022.
Indigenous Mexico: The Mexican cultural tapestry is characterised by a wide variety of indigenous peoples. This programme takes us on a journey through the heritage history of these indigenous communities.
Urban and Suburban Tales: Through a host of different mediums, the films in this programme capture life’s essence in Mexican towns, granting us a glimpse into the beauty and complexity of Mexican urban areas.
Mexican TV: Television codes shift to make way for original Mexican content on the country’s small screen. This programme presents a few of the more recent shows, in particular the first animated series for TV created in Mexico in 1972.
Growing up Mexican: This programme looks at the films that have fascinated young Mexicans over the last few decades, both regarding their stories and the way they view children as the discerning audience that they are.
Growing up Mexican: This programme looks at the films that have fascinated young Mexicans over the last few decades, both regarding their stories and the way they view children as the discerning audience that they are.
Growing up Mexican: This programme looks at the films that have fascinated young Mexicans over the last few decades, both regarding their stories and the way they view children as the discerning audience that they are.
Mexico in Hollywood TV: This programme reveals how Mexican expertise has integrated American production.

This multifarious programming illustrates Mexican animation’s unique characteristics, from the techniques employed to the themes combining social realities with the divergence of a multi-faceted culture.

In this selection we feature some key directors such as René Castillo with Down to the Bone (Hasta los huesos – 2001) which won several Annecy awards, and Carlos Carrera with The Hero, Palme d'Or for a Short Film at Cannes in 1994.

The Jury

The Festival welcomes three Mexican jury members to its 2023 edition:

Jorge R. GUTIERREZ (VR Works category), a director, in particular of The Book of Life, and he designed the Festival’s official poster
Sofía E. ALEXANDER(Feature Films category), an animator known for her work as Executive Producer and Creator of the show Onyx Equinox.
Estrella ARAIZA(TV and Commissioned Films category), General Director of the Guadalajara International Film Festival.

In addition, the Perspectives jury will be composed of 3 young Mexicans from Guadalajara who will be awarding the City of Annecy Award for a Short Film.

The 2023 Official Selection – In Competition:

Mexican animation demonstrates its abundance, and we will discover it in competition in a variety of categories:

In the Official Short Films selection:
Flesh of God, by Patricio Plaza (Mexico-Argentina coproduction)
Smoke (Humo), by Rita Basulto
In the Off-Limits Short Films selection:
I Can't Go on Like This by Aria Covamonas from Planet Earth, by Aria Covamonas
In the Perspectives Short Films selection:
K8, by Miguel Anaya
Shifting (Trasiego), by Amanda Woolrich (Mexico-Canada coproduction)
In the TV Films selection:
Dr Gecko’s Show (El show del Dr. Gecko "Sex Gender"), by Marcos Almada Rivero
In the Commissioned Films selection:
Common Seas "Blood Type: Plastic", by Diego Huacuja (USA-Mexico coproduction)

Mexican animation at Annecy also includes:

Two WIP Feature Films, one of which is Frankelda and the Prince of Spooks (Frankelda y el principe de los sustos) by Roy Ambriz and Arturo Ambriz.

10 teasers made by GOBELINS Paris will have a Mexican theme.

The Mifa is also decked out with Mexico’s colours:

A stand will host numerous studios and schools, in particular the SAE Institute México, Escena, Coco School, ITEMS, CAAV and UNIVA.

Jorge R. Gutierrez, the Mifa Campus’ patron this year, will be presenting a Masterclass on Tuesday 13^th June at 9:00 am.

Throughout the week, numerous events will highlight Mexican animation’s talent and content: Partners Conferences, Partners Pitches, conferences that will be addressing issues on coproduction for example.

As part of the tribute to mexican animation:

WTF Is Back!

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Get ready to be taken by surprise and amazed, we are revealing our WTF2023 programme!

The WTF programme, a fantastic and mesmerising oddity from the Official Selection, is a savvy combination of filmmaking genres. This programme will captivate its audience with its collection of very distinctive films. An exceptional and unforgettable theatre experience, whatever you do, don’t miss it!

Here’s the programme:

Cocaine Piss "Cool Party" by Simon Medar
Uncle Babysitter 2 by Tungwood Tung
Safe Mode "Nothin' to Worry About" by Justin Tomchuk
David by Patrick Ward
Granny X by DD Sheahan
The Rubbings of Trajectories by Cheng-Hsu Chung
Insomnie by Paul Utkay
Monsterfuckers by Ori Goldberg
A Kind of Testament (Un genre de testament) by Stephen Vuillemin
Internet Gaga by Reinhold Bidner
Two Gracious Uncles Smooched to the Beat by Jon Dunleavy
All is Lost (Todo está perdido) by Carla Pereira, Juan Francisco Jacinto Prados
Astéréotypie "Du vélo à St-Malo, du kayak à St-Briac" by Fabian Dores Pais

"When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth", Arthur Conan Doyle used to say. The cinema, a window to the world, must represent it and stretch the boundaries of expression. Thirteen different approaches and eleven nationalities share the throne in the latest WTF2023 opus.

It will be a celebration of human relationships: an uncle, babysitter for the day, will swallow his nephew despite himself; a devilish grandmother will warp the limitations of nymphomania; a young woman will track down the one who is trying to impersonate her on the web. But also, inhuman relationships: artificial intelligence will tackle reality, through a man’s insomnia or the role of a creator in this surreal art. Two high-octane video clips will give spunk to this programme, a film by several influences will spawn possessed, obsessed monsters, a three-headed creature will drive calmly along the highway of its thoughts, and lastly, an unconventional Spanish family will incubate a strange egg laid the night before.

Nothing will leave you indifferent: surprise, laughter and stupor will be your only weapons!

VIVA LA VIDA, VIVA WTF <3

Gala Frecon and Sébastien Sperer

We are thrilled to announce that for the second time running, Titmouse is renewing its partnership with WTF!

After 2022’s memorable bucket hats, we can’t wait to see what Titmouse has in store for us this year!

2023 Mifa Pitches: A Selection Reflecting Society!

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Committed, confrontational or militant,

Mellow, poetic or heartwarming,

Introspective, personal or self-critical,

Entertaining, legendary or whimsical...

… a plethora of adjectives to describe the free-spirited 2023 selection, which is daring and subtle in its treatment of current social issues. Make way for emancipation, humour and sarcasm!

Adventure, magic and friendship are also vectors for thrills and emotions for everyone’s enjoyment.

So, with this context in mind we look forward to seeing you in Annecy this June to discover the 32 projects selected among the 651 submitted this year. A stringent selection which aims to show you the best of the best! An incredibly complicated task when the quality is so high, but with the consistent drive to promote diversity, audacity and the unexpected.

The Mifa Pitches (reservation necessary) will be held in the Salle de la Volière and at the Rotonde de l'Europe (for the Digital Experiences category):

Digital Experiences Pitches: Tuesday 13^th June, 9:00 am to 10:30 am
Feature Film Pitches: Wednesday 14^th June, 9:00 am to 10:30 am
Short Film Pitches: Wednesday 14^th June, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, in partnership with the SACD
TV Series & Specials Pitches: Thursday 15^th June, 9:00 am to 11:00 am, in partnership with Disney+

Discover the projects selected

The Partners Pitches complete the overview by highlighting talents from the same country or category. Organised and supported by delegations, institutions or associations, to give you the opportunity to discover the latest creations.

The Partners Pitches will take place in the Salle Haendel:

Tuesday 13^th June:

Stories x Women (WIA & FIAPF Program): 9:00 am to 10:15 am
Tales from Ghana: 11:00 am to 12:15 pm
Mexico: 2:00 pm to 3:15 pm
South East Asia Partners Pitches (session 1): 4:00 pm to 5:15 pm
Partners Pitches: Spotlight on Taiwan (TAICCA): 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm

Wednesday 14^th June:

Spain (MIA): 11:00 am to 12:15 pm
South East Asia Partners Pitches (session 2): 2:00 pm to 3:15 pm
La Liga de la Animación Iberoamericana Focus @Mifa: 4:00 pm to 5:15 pm
Opportunities with Israel's West Negev Regional Fund – Come & See Their Recent Projects: 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm

Thursday 15^th June:

Tokyo Government (Japan): 11:00 am to 12:15 pm
Korea (KOCCA): 2:00 pm to 3:15 pm
Les Femmes s’animent: 4:00 pm to 5:15 pm
Ukraine: 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm

Two International Mifa Campus workshops were held in Thailand then in Ghana at the end of 2022/early 2023 to develop each of the projects presented as part of their Partners Pitch sessions.

Annecy Celebrates Pride and Diversity

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0200

The Animation, Pride and Diversity theme will be in the spotlight at Annecy in 2023, with four short film programmes available to festivalgoers.

"This theme has become a topical issue, especially for young filmmakers, many of whom tackle issues related to gender and diversity every year", explains Marcel Jean, the Festival’s Artistic Director. A programme coordinated by Benoit Berthe Siward – Founder of The Animation Showcase and Co-Founder of LGBTQ+ in Animation – to provide a range of views on recent productions.

See Marcel Jean, Annecy Festival's Artistic Director, talking about the Animation, Pride and Diversity theme.

Here is a glimpse of the programme:

TRUE QUEER STORIES by Holly Murtha
How does it feel to be queer in this world? This programme is a showcase of real-life stories from the LGBTQ+ community. Ranging from new perspectives on love, relationships and desire, to an ode to family and community. From journeys of self-discovery to closeted, troubled lives, this section is a reminder of the diversity of lived experiences inside the queer community and the importance of representation.

Among the films:

All Those Sensations in My Belly by Marko Djeska (Croatia, Portugal)
Oneself Story by Géraldine Charpentier (Belgium)

HIDDEN QUEER DESIRES by Patricio Plaza
For so much time, queer desire has been forced to be lived with guilt, in the margins of society, hidden or unspoken. Times have changed but the marks of historical persecution are still a struggle for many queer identities.

Among the films:

We Were a Sterile Bomb by Dotan Moreno (Israel)
Adorable by Cheng-Hsu Chung (Taiwan, UK)
Piteous Liaisons by Chloé Alliez and Violette Delvoye (Belgium, France)

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS by Jakub Spevák
This section of films is dedicated to the feeling of belonging – which for queer people often means creating a safe place, a refuge. Films explore the need to share, to be yourself, to love, to forgive... As queer people, do we have to keep pretending to fit in?

Among the films:

Chado by Dominica Harrison (UK)
Purpleboy by Alexandre Siqueira (Portugal, France, Belgium)
In Nature by Marcel Barelli (Switzerland)

FREAKS & PROUD by Jakub Spevák
Queer individuals have often been labelled as freaks, monsters, mutants, even ghosts who haunt society. This section of films takes these often pejorative labels and deconstructs them. Films show "queer" in all its diversity and open their arms to the weirdness and strangeness.

Among the films:

Slug Life by Sophie Koko Gate (UK)
The Boob Fairy by Léahn Vivier-Chapas (France)
Superbia by Luca Tóth (Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia

The Festival will also be awarding an Honorary Cristal to the British filmmaker Barry J.C. Purves, author of a seminal stop-motion piece and pioneer of embracing homosexual themes in animation. His most acclaimed short films will be shown together in a programme and the Screen Play author will be presenting a Masterclass. Marcel Jean esteems that Achilles, which Purves made in 1995, was a major landmark in the history of homosexual representation in animation. "The director’s audacity is impressive in terms of theme, aesthetics and direction. Not to mention his technical mastery, which is nothing short of exceptional! This year, we are paying tribute to one of contemporary animation’s most esteemed figures."

Furthermore, as is tradition at the Festival, Pride and Diversity will be perceived in the various parts of its programme planning.
For example, the WIP will include the feature film Eugene, written by Joëlle Oosterlinck and directed by Anaïs Caura. The film portrays the life of Eugene Falleni, a trans man accused of murdering his wife in Australia in the 1920s.
Also, among the films in the Official Short Films selection is Christopher at Sea by Tom CJ Brown, winner of the Arte France Prize and Ciclic Prize at the Mifa Pitches in 2018.

Mifais also renewing its Parity – Diversity programming and developing it to reflect the Festival's Animation, Pride and Diversity programmes: the Women In Animation World Summit will deal more comprehensively with inclusion and diversity issues; women’s animation associations around the world will present pitch project sessions, the Mifa Conferences and a panel discussion at the Mifa Campus will provide the chance to raise specific questions and attempt to deliver some solutions.

Works from all over the world are in the spotlight
From unbridled comedies, painful family chronicles and bitter-sweet tales, the Annecy Festival has always welcomed works dealing with LGBTQIA+ issues with open arms.
A place for directors from around the world to have freedom of speech, from France to Russia, India to South Africa, passing through Japan, Denmark and Egypt, to present series, shorts, clips, graduation films and feature films in competition.
Some have won awards in the last few years, such as: In Deep Waters, short film by Sarah Van Den Boom (France, Canada), Festivals Connexion Award – Région Rhône-Alpes with Lumières Numériques (2015); Moms on Fire, short film by Joanna Rytel (Sweden), Jury Distinction (2016) and Festivals Connexion Jury Distinction – Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes/In partnership with Lumières Numériques & Pilon Cinéma (2016); The Fish Curry (Maacher Jhol), short film by Abhishek Verma (India), City of Annecy Award (2017); and the multi-award winning Flee, feature film by Jonas Poher Rasmussen (Denmark, France, Norway, Sweden), Cristal for a Feature Film (2021), Gan Foundation Award for Distribution (2021) and Best Original Music Award for a Feature Film, sponsored by the SACEM (2021).
So, it is only natural that this year the Festival is showing a special programme on the theme Animation, Pride and Diversity.

Annecy Festival Commits!

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0200

For its 2023 edition, the Annecy International Animation Festival and its Market (Mifa) are continuing their efforts with their eco-responsible approach.

Concerned about current issues and our impacts, we are constantly examining the way we design, produce and run our event, with an aim for ongoing improvement, to prepare for the future with commitment and to generate a more virtuous and sustainable ecosystem.

If Annecy Festival plays a unique role in facilitating meetings, creation, business and transmission of values, this event, which attracts around 13,000 badgeholders, must keep its environmental impact to a minimum.

This is the reason why we commit to a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) approach, by implementing an action plan guided in particular by the "Sustainable Development Charter for Festivals" established by the French Ministry of Culture in 2021. To direct this initiative, we will be carrying out a carbon footprint assessment this year.

Here are our main goals:

	1/ Limit our festivalgoers’ carbon footprint
	2/ Control consumption
	3/ Provide responsible food
	4/ Reduce and recycle waste
	5/ Implement a sustainable purchasing policy
	6/ Reinforce the quality of our public reception and cultivate improved social harmony
	7/ Raise awareness about ecological, social and societal responsibilities

To find out more about our continuous improvement targets and associated tangible actions, click here.

The 2023 Residency is Up and Running!

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0200

Our 2023 winners have just joined the third Annecy Festival Residency for three intense, stimulating and productive months. Now is the time to present their distinguished mentors!

A few months back, we revealed the projects selected to join the third Annecy Festival Residency dedicated to animation feature film graphic development.

Caroline Cherrier and her project Le Dernier des cailloux, Areito Echevarria and Raqi Syed with their project Shadow Work, as well as Wesley Rodrigues and his project The Bird Kingdom, have all just arrived in Annecy from France, New Zealand and Brazil respectively.

You can find their projects in greater detail on the page dedicated to the Residency.

Today, we are introducing the mentors who will support them in their creative process. This mentoring takes place in two phases. First, before arriving, they provide support on the script and afterwards, they provide assistance with the project’s graphic choices.

The 2023 mentors are allocated as follows:

Anne-Claire Lehembre (script) and Benjamin Renner (graphics) for Le Dernier des cailloux
Patrick Somerville (script) and Marc Caro (graphics) for Shadow Work
Fabienne Gambrelle (script) and Tomm Moore (graphics) for The Bird Kingdom

Take a glimpse at the careers and achievements of these 6 mentors and discover what the two mentoring sessions will entail and how they will be organised.
More info

We hope the new residents settle in well and that this Annecy Festival Residency will enable them to develop their projects, and this progress you will be able to discover in June at the International Animation Film Market.

The 2023 Official Selection of Graduation Films, TV and Commissioned Films

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0200

After revealing the 2023 Official Selection of Short Films, today it’s time to see the next films chosen.

The programme for this second part includes: Graduation Films, TV and Commissioned Films.

Among the 1,665 films submitted, from 77 countries, here are the ones which were chosen and their categories:

Explore the Official Selection that has already been revealed, as well as the 2023 Selection Committee.

Submissions for VR Works continue until 6^th April 2023. Try your luck!

Remember to get your accreditations to attend the Annecy International Animation Film Festival from 11^th to 17^th June and the Mifa from 13^th to 16^th June 2023.

A Brand-New Venue for Talents at the Mifa!

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0100

For 2023, the Mifa is creating Le Campus, a new venue especially for students and talents for the whole duration of the Market.

A special welcome will be offered at Le Campus, the new venue dedicated to Talent Content: training and recruitment will be centre stage!

Le Campus will host:

The Mifa Campus which will be offering 4 days of content from Tuesday 13^th to Friday 16^th June!

¡Viva México!
After Guillermo del Toro, Richard Williams, Nora Twomey, Marguerite Abouet and Masaaki Yuasa, Jorge R. Gutierrez will be the patron of the Mifa Campus 2023!
For this special occasion, the talented Director of Maya and the Three and The Book of Life will be giving a masterclass on Tuesday 13^th June, 9:00 am to 10:15 am.
This session will be open to students and Mifa badgeholders, by reservation only.

Our meetings and guest appearances will be spread throughout the week and the programme will be announced soon.

Mifa Recruitment Sessions

Host your applicants at a new dedicated venue and recruit the best profiles in the animation sector.To reserve your table please contact Céline Genand-Pinaz.

Partners Recruitment Sessions

Schools, institutions, local hubs, come and organise your own recruitment event. Take advantage of the privatised special area to organise meetings between your talents and studios.
To reserve your slot please contact Marion Provenzano.

Recruiters Talk

Reveal your studio’s working environment, job prospects and profiles you are looking for to complete your teams during a presentation to an audience of students, professionals, newcomers and experts.

The following will be here this year:

Fortiche
DNEG
Illumination Mac Guff
Xilam
Psyop
Skydance
Sony Pictures Animation
Gaumont...

Raoul Servais has Died

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0100

It is with immense sadness that the Festival team learned of the death, on 17th March 2023, of the Belgian filmmaker and illustrator Raoul Servais, Grand prix for best animated short film at Annecy for Nocturnal Butterflies.

Belgian filmmaker and illustrator Raoul Servais died on 17^th March at the age of 94. He won the Grand prix for best animated short film at Annecy Festival 1998 for Nocturnal Butterflies, a film that paid tribute to the Belgian painter Paul Delvaux in which he used an animation technique he invented himself: servaisgraphy.

Marcel Jean, Annecy Festival’s Artistic Director, paid tribute to him in a few words.

"With the death of Raoul Servais at the age of 94, the animation film community loses one of its historic figures. Raoul was one of the first members of the ASIFA (International Animated Film Association); he won the Palme d’Or for a Short Film at Cannes for Harpya, the Grand prix for best animated short film at Annecy Festival 1998 for Nocturnal Butterflies, as well as the Norman McLaren Heritage Award at Ottawa in 1998. He was a flamboyant successor of the Belgian surrealists; his work was in the spirit of Paul Delvaux and René Magritte. His desire to work with real-time material led him to creating impressive technical innovations including the servaisgraphy process, which he developed while working on his feature film Taxandria. This was a brilliant photomechanical process that was rendered obsolete by the possibilities offered later by digital technology. At the end of the 1990s, the Musée-Château d’Annecy held an exhibition entitled Itinéraire d’un ciné-peintre (A Filmmaker-Painter’s Journey), which celebrated his impressive career. His departure marks the end of an era and the thoughts of the entire Annecy team are with his loved ones."

The Annecy Festival team joins his family in honouring the memory of this esteemed filmmaker.