Indies and Icons, Tentpoles and Oscar Contenders: Annecy at 40 Sets the Animation Agenda

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Over the course of the next seven days, the peaceful Alpine town of Annecy will undergo a remarkable metamorphosis, becoming the epicenter of the global animation industry on a grand scale.

The Annecy International Animation Film Festival, initially a biannual gathering for animation enthusiasts (held from June 8-14), has grown into an essential event for industry heavyweights — including Netflix’s and Disney/Pixar’s animation divisions, as well as those from Warner Bros., DreamWorks, Sony, and Paramount. The international independent animation scene will also be well-represented at this prestigious event. Notably, two winners from the 2023 Annecy Festival — Gints Zilbalodis’ Latvian feature Flow and Adam Elliot’s Australian claymation drama Memoir of a Snail — were both nominated for Oscars in 2025, with Flow making history as the first independent film to win the Academy Award for best animated feature.

Each year, the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and its associated market, Mifa, are expanding and gaining significance. Marcel Jean, its director, shared this with The Hollywood Reporter, stating that they have now established themselves as a key event in the global animation calendar.

Attendees at Annecy will be among the first to see the most anticipated animated films and shows of this year, such as “Zootopia 2” from Disney Animation, “Elio” by Pixar, “Fixed” and the animation series of “Stranger Things” from Netflix, “Bad Guys 2” from Dreamworks, and Sony Pictures Animation’s basketball-themed “Goat”. Warner Bros. Animation will present a 25th anniversary celebration of Cartoon Network Studios, along with a special program for WB’s Adult Swim. The Cartoon Network event includes a panel featuring renowned creators like Genndy Tartakovsky (“Samurai Jack”), Craig McCracken (“The Powerpuff Girls”), Pendleton Ward (“Adventure Time”), Rebecca Sugar (“Steven Universe”), J.G. Quintel (“Regular Show”), and Adam Muto (“Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake”). The Adult Swim segment will focus on upcoming highlights, including the new season of the popular series “Smiling Friends”, which was announced at Annecy last year.

Matt Groening, the mastermind behind “The Simpsons,” will join forces with executive producer Matt Selman and showrunner David Silverman at Annecy. Together, they’ll share insights on the remarkable legacy of the show in a special session. Additionally, Groening will be honored with an Honorary Cristal lifetime achievement award by the festival, recognizing his outstanding contributions to animation.

Independent filmmaker Andy Serkis is set to debut his animated version of George Orwell’s classic novel “Animal Farm,” boasting the vocal talents of Seth Rogen, Woody Harrelson, and Kieran Culkin. This production is being distributed globally by Goodfellas. Meanwhile, French director Michel Gondry, known for films like “The Science of Sleep” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” will receive an Honorary Cristal at Annecy, his first time attending this event. Similarly, British animator Joanna Quinn, renowned for her works such as “Girls’ Night Out” and “Famous Fred,” is also set to receive an Honorary Cristal at the same event.

Mickaël Marin, head of the Annecy Festival, shares that they appreciate both grand studio productions and small-scale experimental films. If a piece of animation catches their fancy and is exceptional, it will be featured in the festival or market. Over time, the Annecy Festival has been witnessing the global progression of the animation industry, with fresh talents and countries arising each year.

This year’s competition schedule at the festival, much like Annecy, boasts a diverse, global selection. It ranges from Zhong Ding’s high-budget Chinese animation Into the Mortal World, to Sylvain Chomet’s animated biopic of Marcel Pagnol, a trailblazing French filmmaker titled A Magnificent Life. Additionally, it includes Yasuhiro Aoki’s Japanese anime ChaO and the heartwarming animation Little Amélie or the Character of Rain by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han. Both these films were secured by Gkids for North America, just before the festival commenced.

As a dedicated gamer immersed in the dynamic realm of animated storytelling, I feel it’s my duty to shed light on the current landscape. Peering into the ever-evolving animation world, I aim to capture a snapshot – a Polaroid, if you will – that encapsulates not just the grandiose and spectacular, but also the rare, unique, and quirky. Furthermore, I strive to highlight the works that resonate with the zeitgeist of animation creators, reflecting their concerns, passions, and the topics that matter most in our vibrant community.

Véronique Encrenaz, head of Mifa, points out that if we solely focus on the largest films, the same countries would always be featured. However, at our festival and market, we function as a research lab, nurturing talents globally to enhance their skills and industries. Over time, these regions are blossoming, and this year, we’re witnessing rising African nations in Mifa. For the first time, a Nigerian feature [Shofela Coker’s Crocodile Dance] is part of the Mifa Pitches industry section, and countries like Vietnam, South America, Asia are increasingly investing in animation.

This year’s 40th installment of the festival will also honor Hungarian animation, showcasing the country’s illustrious animated past by featuring timeless pieces such as “Heroic Times” (1982), directed by József Gémes, and “The District!” (2005) from Áron Gauder.

2021’s Work in Progress showcase, a consistently well-received event during the festival, will display preliminary versions of upcoming projects like “Carmen” by Sébastien Laudenbach (director of “Chicken for Linda!”), Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja’s adaptation of “The Cat in the Hat” for Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, featuring Bill Hader, as well as Olivier Clert and Jean-Christophe Dessaint’s “Lucy Lost” from Xilam Studio. In terms of series, this year’s Work in Progress at Annecy will showcase Netflix’s upcoming “Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Deathwatch”, Adult Swim’s “Women Wearing Shoulder Pads” and “Get Jiro!”, and the French series “Bitches” directed by Manon Tacconi.

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2025-06-08 21:25