The Annecy International Animation Film Festival is nearly here.
The biggest, most important animation film festival in the world, taking place in its namesake French city this year from June 21–27, has just unveiled its slate, which includes (among other things), the premiere of Illumination and Universal’s “Minions and Monsters,” first looks at Disney’s “Hexed,” Pixar’s “Gatto,” Laika’s “Wildwood,” Skydance and Netflix’s “Ray Gunn” and Sony’s upcoming, 1990’s-set “Ghostbusters” animated series. Plus a special look at Warner Bros. Animation’s ongoing DC projects, including a screening of “Batman: Knightfall – Part 1,” an adaptation of the hugely influential comic book series that saw Bruce Wayne injured and subsequently replaced.
TheWrap spoke to Marcel Jean, the artistic director of Annecy, about what to expect from this year’s festival – and what he’s particularly excited about sharing with the rest of the world.
According to Jean, this year’s festival will emphasize the importance of genre films within animation.
“We will have special programs of genre film this year, but genre film will also be present in different sections of the official selection – in the convention or even in the midnight program. The midnight program is the place by excellence for horror and things like that. You will find genre films almost everywhere,” Jean said. “What was important for me is to go with something that Guillermo del Toro said when he received his Academy Award for ‘Pinocchio.’ He said, ‘Animation is not a genre. You can meet all the genres in animation.’ And this is what we want to show. It’s something that we were conscious of for a long time.
“We knew that, but it’s interesting to put that on the front of this scene, just to remind everybody and to, let’s say to the general press, to the general audience, to the people from the film community and the film industry, that animation is film. And with animation, you can do basically all the genres you will find in the film industry and in the film history. It’s at the core of the festival this year.”
Jean points to the world premiere of “Batman: Knightfall,” along with “Rogue Trooper,” the new film from Duncan Jones (based on the strip from the “2000 AD” comic book).
“Duncan is somebody who is a very big name in the world of science fiction,” Marcel said.
He also noted “The Sunrise File,” which is a political thriller about Serge and Beate Klarsfeld tracking down infamous war criminal Klaus Barbieand; and “The Violinist,” which the official program describes as “classic-style war epic.” There’s also “Welcome to Dolly’s House,” which Jean said that he’s “especially proud of.” The movie, about YouTubers who are trapped in Taiwan following a scandal, “turns into a gothic horror film at some point.”
There will also be a celebration of DC and Warner Animation’s legacy of Batman-related shows and movies, including “Batman: Caped Crusader,” which will be back on Prime Video for a second season. Last year, Warner Animation mounted an incredible celebration of the history of Cartoon Network, that was easily one of the highlights of the entire festival.
“It’s great to have the opportunity to discuss what DC Comics is doing in animation because, especially with an IP like Batman, they are targeting different audiences. It’s not just one IP. They define the IP in different ways. And it’s very creative, I think, the way they’re doing this. It will be great and fun to have the discussion around,” said Marcel.
Annecy has built a reputation over the past few years of spotlighting smaller films that have gone onto big success, both critically and commercially, including “Flow,” which won the Best Animated Feature Oscar two years ago and “Little Amelie” and “Arco,” both of which were nominated for the same category this year.
“Every year there are films like that,” Marcel said, including this year. “Viva Carmen!,” based on the stories of Sébastien Laudenbach, is one. (Laudenbach was last at the festival in 2023 with “Chicken for Linda.”) “Iron Boy,” a French/Belgian co-production is another.
“I also want to put some attention on ‘The Violinist.’ It’s an unusual co-production between Singpaore, Spain and Italy. You will not find these three countries associated in the same film very often. It’s an epic film, a story of two friends linked by their love and passion for violin,” Marcel said. “It’s a very moving story and has very strong potential.”
Marcel also sees this year’s festival as a “celebration of stop-motion,” because there will be a special presentation by Aardman, the British stop-motion studio that is celebrating 50 years, along with Travis Knight and the Laika crew and the Brothers Quay, the influential filmmaking duo.
“When you put together Aardman and the Quay Brothers, you have probably the most important influence in the world of stop motion in recent years,” Jean said. “And it’s great to have that, and also the short circuit between the very independent and totally obsessed work of the Quay brothers and the large-scale industrial work of Laika. It’s great to be able to have these two poles and the great journey between these two poles.”
Knight will be at the festival for the first time to talk about his new film “Wildwood” and debut an exhibition centered on the creation of the new Laika movie, in theaters this fall.
Mike Judge, creator of “Beavis and Butt-head” and “King of the Hill,” will also be at this year’s festival to receive the honorary Critsal Award. Jean said that it was incredibly important to have him at the festival, particularly now, since “adult animation in the U.S. is one of the last places where you will find in television a real critical view of the idolatry in the U.S.”
He also noted that Judge’s live-action film “Idiocracy” is looking more like a documentary now. Describing Judge as “one of the most important figures,” the festival initially tried to award Judge in 2020. They have tried in the years since to get him back, but it only happened now, which is perfect given the critically lauded return of “King of the Hill” (now on Hulu).
“It’s a great moment to celebrate his fantastic career and to talk about animation as a vehicle for social criticism,” Jean said.
