Academy Award-nominated Xilam Animation will serve as animation studio for the upcoming 2D-animated action-epic Twilight of the Gods, created and executive produced by director Zack Snyder (who also directs two episodes), animation director Jay Oliva and writer Eric Carrasco. Coming soon to Netflix, the series is also executive produced by Deborah Snyder and Wesley Coller, and produced by Zack and Deborah Snyder’s production company The Stone Quarry.
Twilight of the Gods ‘brings Zack Snyder’s daring and spectacular vision of ancient Norse mythology to life,’ and features the voices of Sylvia Hoeks, Stuart Martin, Pilou Asbaek, John Noble, Paterson Joseph, Rahul Kohli, Jamie Clayton, Kristopher Hivju, Peter Stormare, Jamie Chung, Lauren Cohan, and Corey Stroll, among others.
Created by Snyder, Oliva and Carrasco, with Snyder and Oliva serving as directors and Carrasco as producer, the series was announced in 2019 followed by the buzzy voice cast announcement in 2021.
Xilam’s animation services on the animated series will include lay-out, color BG, animation and compositing.
“We’re so proud to be working with the team at Stone Quarry, including iconic creator and director Zack Snyder. And we’re also deeply grateful to Netflix for trusting us to bring his spectacular vision to life,” said Xilam Founder & CEO Marc du Pontavice.
“We’ll be utilizing state-of-the-art 2D animation across the series, which will include spectacular battles and special effects in the distinctive style that has characterized Zack’s work throughout his illustrious career. This project also marks a significant step forward in our ambitions to bring our expertise into the world of adult action series for global audiences.”
Xilam is known for creating and producing global hit kids’ series such as Oggy and the Cockroaches, Zig & Sharko and Chip ‘n’ Dale: Park Life for Disney+. The studio has also recently been commissioned by Disney+ to produce The Doomies, a 22 x 22’ horror comedy for teenagers, and is also behind the art house Academy Award-nominated animated feature for adults, I Lost My Body.
The team behind the acclaimed animated short Kapaemahu is debuting a new film inspired by Hawaiian culture, Aikāne – an ancient term for intimate same-sex friends that has taken on new relevance with the worldwide resurgence of anti-LGBTQ hostility. The film will premiere at the Animayo and Seattle International Film Festivals in May, followed by a series of screenings during Pride Month in June.
Aikāne tells the story of an island warrior who falls into a strange underwater world after being wounded in battle. When the octopus who rescues him shapeshifts into a handsome young man, sparks fly and an epic adventure begins. Love, trust, and courage are the glue that bind the unlikely couple together in their fierce battle against foreign invaders.
Aikāne
Advocacy for LGBTQ rights was a key motivation for co-directors Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson, a married couple whose film careers began with a documentary about the uproar that their own marriage announcement caused in Wilson’s rural hometown. “At a time like this, when kids are being told that they can’t even say the word gay in school, we think that telling a queer love story with a happy ending is a beautiful and necessary form of resistance,” said Wilson.
For producer Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, a mahu (transgender) Native Hawaiian culture bearer who has been collaborating with Hamer and Wilson for a decade, there was also a personal aspect. “As a Kanaka, a native person in an island occupied by a foreign power and ideas, I want our young people of all genders and sexualities to understand that being their authentic selves, and loving who they love, is a reason to rejoice not to fear.”
Aikāne
The team’s previous animation Kapaemahu (available to watch in full at kapaemahufilm.com) won five Oscar-qualifying awards and was shortlisted at the 93rd Academy Awards, and was expanded into a children’s book, public broadcast documentary, immersive museum exhibition and permanent exhibition of the painted film characters at the Hawaii Convention Center. That work inspired a movement to restore knowledge and understanding of mahu as a term of cultural respect, including a change to the signage at a monument originally intended to honor them in Waikiki beach.
Hoping to build a similar movement behind Aikāne, the team invited Emmy winning actor and trailblazing LGBTQ advocate Judith Light to come on as executive producer. “I am honored to be a part of this transcendent film that brings an inspirational message that love is love is love when it is so profoundly needed,” said Light, who was an early celebrity advocate for the queer community and people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, and played pivotal roles in The Ryan White Story, Transparent and other films that have brought LGBTQ visibility to the fore. “It is a tale of the spirit, transformational and mystical in nature that resonates with love, courage, compassion and community.”
Aikāne
The visual world of Aikāne contrasts the stark landscapes and dizzying cliffs of the land above the surface, the site of conflict, with the rich colors and soothing motion of the sea below, where the heroes fall in love. Academy Award-nominated animator, designer and co-director Daniel Sousa brings the characters to life with a smooth, flowing style, portraying their emotions through subtle gestures and closeups. Dan Golden provided the music and sound design for the pantomime film, incorporating underwater sounds captured by Hamer and Wilson in their free-diving expeditions together. Sousa and Golden were also artistic collaborators on Kapaemahu.
“I wish I could have seen a film like Aikāne when I was young,” said Hamer, “It would have meant so much to me. Now I want to be sure that a kid in Florida or Texas has that chance, and that they’ll watch it with their parents.”
Aikāne
Aikāne was produced by Hamer and Wilson’s Qwaves in association with Kanaka Pakipika, the production company the couple formed for their trans-Pacific collaborations with Wong-Kalu. Upcoming screenings include Animayo (May 3-6), Seattle International Film Festival (May 11-21), Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival (June 7-11) and the Abhimani Queer Film Festival Sri Lanka (June 19-21).
nWave studios, Octopolis and A Contracorriente will present the world premiere of their upcoming animated feature The Inseparablesat the Annecy Festival animation super event in France (June 11-17). The studio partners have also unveiled the teaser trailer for this imaginative new buddy adventure written by Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow (Toy Story).
Producer Matthieu Zeller and director Jérémie Degruson (The House of Magic, Bigfoot Junior, Bigfoot Family) will attend the festival to introduce audiences to a new duo of original characters — a runaway puppet with boundless imagination and an abandoned stuffed animal toy in need of a friend — who cross paths in Central Park and pair up against all odds for an epic adventure of friendship in the big city.
With The Inseparables, nWave studios return to Annecy three years after the festival hosted a screening of Bigfoot Family as part of their 2020 edition.
“We couldn’t dream of a better launchpad for The Inseparables than Annecy, a high-end festival that fosters the very same diversity and vitality of animation we’re thriving on at nWave,” said Zeller, who is also CEO of nWave studios. “It feels like the perfect place for us to share with audiences this imaginative, ambitious and audacious project of heart, which we feel reflects our European roots and our ability to tell universal stories.“
Degruson added, “I can’t wait to be back and present our new movie in person in Annecy to animation-loving crowds from all around the world, who are gathered by the same passion for quality animation and for creativity which is the soul of Annecy and the spice of my work as a director.”
The Inseparables has already secured theatrical distribution for this year in territories including Spain, Benelux, Portugal, Scandinavia, Poland, Eastern Europe, Middle East, South Africa, Vietnam and Korea.
Budgeted at about $25 million, the France-Belgium-Spain coproduction is a story by Cohen and Sokolow, adapted into a screenplay by Bob Barlen & Cal Brunker (Bigfoot Family, PAW Patrol: The Movie, The Nut Job 2).
Today, Disney+ announced Maggie Simpson in ‘Rogue Not Quite One,’ a new short from The Simpsons, will launch May the 4th in celebration of Star Wars Day. New key art giving fans a first look at Maggie’s adventures in a galaxy far, far away was also unveiled.
In the upcoming short, Homer loses track of Maggie, who hops in Grogu’s hovering pram for a hyperspace-hopping adventure across the galaxy. Facing a squadron of Imperial TIE fighters, Maggie brings the battle to Springfield!
aggie Simpson in ‘Rogue Not Quite One’ is the latest in a collection of shorts from The Simpsons created exclusively for Disney+. The previously released shorts The Simpsons Meet the Bocellis in ‘Feliz Navidad;’Welcome to the Club; When Billie Met Lisa (Emmy nominated); Maggie Simpson in ‘The Force Awakens from Its Nap’ (Emmy nominated); The Good, The Bart, and The Loki and The Simpsons in Plusaversary are currently available in The Simpsons collection on Disney+.
Today, France-based animation studio HARI announced a new deal with the BBC, which has acquired the rights for feature quality CGI animated shows Grizzy and The Lemmings World Tour and The Weasy Family. The deal will see both shows air across the public service broadcaster’s linear and digital platforms in 2023/2024 and beyond.
The includes seasons three and four of the global hit Grizzy and The Lemmings, titled Grizzy and The Lemmings World Tour. Each season contains 78 x 7-minute episodes of the non-dialog slapstick comedy. Season three is produced and season four is currently in production (delivering in 2024).
Suitable for all age groups, but primarily aimed at kids aged 6+ and their families, the series centers on a grizzly bear named Grizzy who has to deal with a tribe of eponymous lemmings, with hilarious outcomes! In the new seasons they accidentally take off on a world tour.
Grizzy and The Lemmings first aired in 2016 and has gone on to become an award-winning family favorite around the world. It featured in Netflix’s Top 10 shows in more than 60 territories, and amasses 1 billion YouTube views each year. The show won Best Animated Series at the Kidscreen Awards (2018) and was nominated for an Emmy in 2019.
Global broadcast partners include France Television, Warner Media, Netflix, Germany’s Super RTL, Mango TV in China, Wildbrain and Canada’s TeleQuebec.
The Weasy Family
The Weasy Familyis HARI’s brand-new slapstick non-dialog animated series, currently in production. Comprising 78 x 7- minute episodes, it takes place in a Wisconsin barn in the middle of the cornfields, where Weasy, an irresponsible weasel with the IQ of a human teenager, raises the twin ducklings he adopted after accidentally incubating their egg.
The show combines comedy action with emotional family moments and parent/child relationships. According to HARI, it’s the first-ever benevolent slapstick cartoon, where no one gets hurt even when situations get out of hand.
Broadcast partners include France Television, Germany’s Super RTL and Canada’s TeleQuebec.
Both shows were created by executive producers and co-founders of HARI, Josselin Charier and Antoine Rodelet.
“We created a new form of slapstick comedy with Grizzy and The Lemmings, and we’re delighted with its success,” said Charier. “In our brand new show The Weasy Family we explore a different form of slapstick comedy. Here we’ve created an entirely new alchemy of characters and a unique balance between comedy and emotion.”
Sophie ‘Kido’ Prigent, HARI’s head of sales, adds, “BBC platforms offer a perfect home for our comedy animated shows. Grizzy and The Lemmings has been a huge success in the U.K.! The slapstick humor really resonates with British families, so we’re delighted to be bringing our creations to even larger audiences there.”
Istanbul-based animation studio Fauna (Kukuli, Briko, Brody Luckystar), with its new office in the U.K., is tuning up to launch a new preschool show, Moi & Lana (52 x 2’). The 2D-animated series is described as an epic musical adventure that follows the main characters Moi and Lana as they traverse the globe in search of the most popular local kids’ songs from all over the world.
Fauna will be collaborating with local musicians from each country that Moi & Lana visit to produce unique bilingual adaptations of the most beloved children’s songs (in English and the local language). The Turkish toon outfit says the show will offer a cultural exchange experience for kids from a very young age, allowing them to relate to and understand other kids around the world, helping bridge the gap between different cultures.
Planning a digital-first release late 2023, Fauna has currently self-financed the majority of the project and is looking for additional funding partners who could come on board.
“We are very excited for our new friends Moi & Lana joining Fauna’s character world. Digital and original music have always been the core of our creative vision and our area of expertise. While working with local musicians around the world to create unique songs, we have been inspired so much by the different musical styles and cultures around the globe,” said CEO Emre Aksoy. “I am very excited for Moi & Lana to be on screen to embark preschoolers on that inspiring cultural voyage around the world.”
Building on its musical kids’ animation offerings, Fauna recently partnered with Turkish popstar Özgün for a new series, Ediko, which will inspire kids to celebrate each other’s differences. Fauna has also established a solid track record for the digital first approach: amassing nearly 5 million subscribers on YouTube, the company’s flagship show Kukuli was launched on the platform and is now available in 16 different languages in 80 countries.
GKIDS, celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, announced today it has acquired North American distribution rights for The First Slam Dunk from Toei Animation. The deal covers theatrical and physical home video rights. GKIDS will release the film theatrically in the United States and Canada in both its original Japanese language and an all-new English dubbed version later this summer.
“I am very thankful to our partners at Toei Animation for working together with us on what I consider one of the best sports films ever made,” said David Jesteadt, President of GKIDS. “The First Slam Dunk is thrilling but also deeply emotional, and it has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide. We can’t wait to share the film with Slam Dunk fans, as well as those who are discovering this work for the first time.”
The hit film opened domestically in Japan on December 3, 2022, and has gone on to break box office records in a number of countries during its current international release. With a current global box office of over $212 million, the film has become the 24th highest grossing film of all time in Japan. Upon the film’s South Korea release, it climbed to #2 at the box office for its opening weekend — becoming, at the time, the most-watched Japanese movie ever in South Korea. Most recently, The First Slam Dunk opened in Mainland China and with $55.2 million reported at the box office on opening weekend, became the biggest opening ever for an imported animated film in the country.
”We’re thrilled to work with GKIDS to bring Toei Animation’s blockbuster film The First Slam Dunk to North America,” said Masayuki Endo, President of Toei Animation Inc. “The First Slam Dunk has been a smash hit in Asia since premiering in Japan last December and we’re excited to see the response from U.S. and Canadian audiences when it premieres this summer.”
Written and created by Takehiko Inoue, Slam Dunk is a beloved manga which was serialized from 1990-1996. The original manga is one of the best-selling manga series of all time, with over 170 million copies sold globally, and has been adapted to various media and video games, including a hit anime series that ran from 1993-1996. The First Slam Dunk marks the first new feature-length film from the globally cherished franchise in over 28 years, as well as Inoue’s directorial debut. The film went on to be awarded this year’s Japan Academy Prize for Best Animation of the Year — marking the first nomination and win for Inoue.
“I want to welcome North American fans — both new and old — to the world of Slam Dunk,” said the film’s producer, Toshiyuki Matsui. “The First Slam Dunk offers the unique excitement and thrills of Slam Dunk that can only be experienced in a movie theatre.”
Synopsis: Shohoku’s “speedster” and point guard, Ryota Miyagi (voiced by Shugo Nakamura), always plays with brains and lightning speed, running circles around his opponents while feigning composure. Born and raised in Okinawa, Ryota had a brother who was three years older. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, who was a famous local player from a young age, Ryota also became addicted to basketball.
In his second year of high school, Ryota plays with the Shohoku High School basketball team along with Sakuragi (Subaru Kimura), Rukawa (Shin’ichiro Kamio), Akagi (Kenta Miyake) and Mitsui (Jun Kasama) as they take the stage at the Inter-High School National Championship. And now, they are on the brink of challenging the reigning champions, Sannoh Kogyo High School.
In addition to Inoue and Matsui, the key creative talent includes sequence directors Naoki Miyahara, Katsuhiko Kitada, Toshio Ohashi, Yasuhiro Motoda, Humihiko Suganuma and Haruka Kamatani; character designers Inoue and Yasuyuki Ebara; animation director Yasuyuki Ebara; CG director Daiki Nakazawa; art director Kazuo Ogura and animation producer Kazuhiro Nishikawa.
This morning, Netflix unveiled a coopload of new character posters for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget — the eagerly awaited sequel to Chicken Run, the highest-grossing stop-motion movie of all time.
Produced by multi-Academy Award- and BAFTA-winning studio Aardman (Creature Comforts, Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep) and helmed by Oscar- and BAFTA-nominated director Sam Fell (ParaNorman, Flushed Away), the feature-length adventure will come home to roost on Netflix this Fall.
Check out the new posters featuring nine very hip chick(en)s!
Bella Ramsey as Molly
Zachary Levi as Rocky
Thandiwe Newton as Ginger
David Bradley as Fowler
Imelda Staunton as Bunty
Romesh Ranganathan as Nick and Daniel Mays as Fetcher
Jane Horrocks as Babs
Lynn Ferguson as Mac
Josie Sedgwick-Davies as Frizzle
Film Synopsis: Having pulled off a death-defying escape from Tweedy’s farm, Ginger has finally found her dream — a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock, far from the dangers of the human world. When she and Rocky hatch a little girl called Molly, Ginger’s happy ending seems complete. But back on the mainland the whole of chicken-kind faces a new and terrible threat. For Ginger and her team, even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk — this time, they’re breaking in!
Sam Fell directed from a screenplay by Karey Kirkpatrick & John O’Farrell and Rachel Tunnard, story by Kirkpatrick & O’Ferrell. Producers are Steve Pegram and Leyla Hobart, exec producers are Peter Lord, Nick Park, Carla Shelley, Paul Kewley and Kirkpatrick.
As previously announced, the voice cast features Thandiwe Newton, Zachary Levi, Bella Ramsey, Imelda Staunton, Lynn Ferguson, David Bradley, Jane Horrocks, Romesh Ranganathan, Daniel Mays, Josie Sedgwick-Davies and Nick Mohammed.
Independent kids’ production company Hoho Entertainment announced the launch its own dedicated app for kids, Bubblebox. The app has been developed in partnership with app software specialists Wonderz and releases this week.
Featuring four of Hoho’s most popular titles — Cloudbabies, Shane the Chef and S4C properties Hana’s Helpline and Chickpea and Friends — the safe, child-friendly app will offer on-demand viewing of episodes plus an engaging mix of interactive games and activities based on the shows.
Launching on the Apple store, Bubblebox will be available in multiple territories. Content will initially be in English but will expand to service other languages.
“Launching Bubblebox, our first proprietary children’s content app, is the next step in our long-term digital strategy,” said Helen Howells, Joint Managing Director of Hoho.
Harriet Jones, Head of Digital and Retail, added, “Now kids will be able to engage with our shows whenever they like, wherever they are. The app’s appealing mix of content, from full episodes to fun songs and other activities, will enable them to connect even more closely with their favorite shows and characters.”
Hoho’s partner on the creation of this bespoke app is German company Wonderz, applying its experience in creating cutting-edge apps on WunderBox, their robust and flexible distribution software platform for iOS, Android, Amazon Fire and tvOS that provides an ideal multi-media solution for content creators.
“It is a real pleasure to work with Hoho Entertainment and enable them to craft a branded app that corresponds perfectly to their delightful IPs and helps them to deliver their engaging content directly to their audience,” commented Wonderz CEO Sebastian Wehner.
Cloudbabies is a magical preschool series that follows the adventures of four toddlers whose job it is to look after the sky and their Sky Friends. Food-based show Shane the Chef aims to enthuse children aged 2-6 with a passion for fresh, healthy food and cooking. Stop-motion animation Hana’s Helpline stars a duck “agony aunt” who is always at the end of a phone to help solve children’s problems. And Chickpea and Friends is a fun, colorful edutainment series.
Two leading figures of Japanese anime, producer Masao Maruyama and director Gisaburō Sugii, as well as acclaimed animation producer/distributor GKIDS, have joined global multimedia company N LITE and N LITE Japan to produce their first “afrime™” — afro-anime — film, Mfinda.
N LITE will unveil an in-depth look into Mfinda, their flagship film, at this year’s Annecy Festival in France. The project was selected amongst the prestigious MIFA pitches this year in the feature film category.
Mfinda is an N LITE original, created by Congolese-American artist Patience Lekien and co-creator Christiano Terry (Founder & CEO of N LITE). The story centers on a 12-year-old Congolese girl who is transported to the Mfinda, a primordial forest of spirits, gods and ancestors. There, she joins another young girl from a different time, and embarks on a journey to find the magical Nkisi in hopes of finding her way back home.
As an international co-production, N LITE Japan will lead the development and production of Mfinda with Maruyama and Studio M2 in Tokyo. Maruyama has also joined the board of N LITE Japan (led by CEO & Producer Shin Koyamada and President Shigeru Igari) to build the company’s in-house 2D hand-drawn animation studio for international co-productions and feature films.
Masao Maruyama is a legendary anime producer, known for the critically acclaimed films Perfect Blue, Summer Wars, and the upcoming Studio M2 series Pluto for Netflix. He is the Chairman of MAPPA and a founder of Madhouse, two leading Japanese animation studios.
Mfinda will showcase a dual directing team, pairing the prolific Japanese director Gisaburō Sugii (Street Fighter II, The Life of Gusuko Budori) with Black anime pioneer and first-time co-director Arthell Isom, founder of Tokyo-based D’ART Shtajio (Star Wars: Visions Vol. 2). D’ART Shtajio is also a development partner for Mfinda. The screenplay is being written by Donald H. Hewitt (Spirited Away, English language adaptation), Lekien, Terry and Japanese writer Mika Abe (Forest of Piano).
N LITE Japan’s producing team includes Shin Koyamada (The Last Samurai, Disney’s Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior), Shigeru Igari (Former CEO of Atlus and Board Member of Madhouse) and Tony Izumi (Yona Yona Penguin, Tibetan Dog).
“Last year, my good friend Shigeru Igari, whom I have known for many years from Madhouse and Shin Koyamada, shared this new African anime film, Mfinda, with me, says Maruyama. “When Christiano and I met in Japan earlier this year, his enthusiasm for the film compelled me to join. I’m ready to tell a story about the positive power of spirits and community that will resonate in Japan and around the world.”
The U.S.-based GKIDS, producer and distributor of artist-driven and award-winning animation from around the world, is attached as producer, with studio Founder & CEO Eric Beckman executive producing.
“GKIDS is thrilled to be a part of the Mfinda team. From the moment we saw the first early drawings and treatment, we fell in love with the project and committed to helping bring Patience’s vision to life,” says Beckman. “As the Annecy audience will soon see, the world of Mfinda transcends the boundaries of geography and time with a deeply resonant story full of wonder, beauty, and ancient wisdom. We’re honored to be a part of the international team tasked with bringing this amazing film to a global audience.”
This will be the third film GKIDS is executive producing since the Oscar-nominated titles Wolfwalkers (2020) and The Breadwinner (2017). Currently celebrating its 15th anniversary, the company has notched a total of 12 Best Animated Feature Oscar nominations. GKIDS also handles North American distribution for the Studio Ghibli film library, as well as the critically acclaimed series Neon Genesis Evangelion. GKIDS is also the founder and host of the annual Animation Is Film festival in L.A.
N LITE was established to bring untapped and authentic stories from the black and indigenous imagination to life for audiences around the world. The company trademarked afrime™ to merge Japanese anime and storytelling from Africa and the African diaspora. N LITE plans to produce content from a wide-ranging franchise driven slate of animated and live action IP.
“We selected Mfinda as our flagship film because it’s not often that audiences are able to experience the power of storytelling through the journey of a young Congolese girl and her community. We look forward to transporting audiences to the Mfinda for an enchanting ride.” said Terry, “Anime has a global fanbase amongst audiences of color, it’s an honor to work alongside legends of Japanese anime on this historic project.”
The Annecy Festival revealed today more details of another packed program for 2023, including the selections for the feature film and Contrechamp competitions. Running June 11-17, the world’s biggest dedicated animation fest will start with a bang, premiering Benoît Chieux’s Sirocco and the Kingdom of Air Streams (Belgium/France), as well as a brand-new Disney short directed by Trent Correy and Dan Abraham during the Opening Ceremony.
In Sirocco, two sisters, four-year-old Juliette and eight-year-old Carmen, discover a passage between their world and the world of a book titled The Kingdom of Air Streams, and must seek out a terrifying character called Sirocco who can control the wind to get home. Details of the Disney short are
Kensuke’s Kingdom
Chieux’s 2D fantasy is one of 11 feature films competing for the coveted Cristal this year. The other contenders in the Official Competition are:
Tony, Shelly and the Magic Light (Filip Pošivač, Hungary/Czech Rep./Slovakia)
White Plastic Sky (Tibor Banoczki & Sarolta Szabo, Hungary/Slovakia)
SPA will present a spin-off short set in the world of ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’
Of course, there is more than enough to entertain and inspire attendees outside the competition screenings. Major Hollywood studios will be back by the lake to premiere and sneak peek hotly anticipated projects. A few of the highlights:
Walt Disney Animation Studios continues its 100th birthday bash with several celebratory events. In addition to the TBA short opening the fest, CCO Jennifer Lee will be in attendance to share more details of Wish, which she helped write and exec produce. The studio will also present a screening of Fantasia 2000 with director Eric Goldberg.
Pixar Animation Studios will present never-before-seen materials from its first original series Win or Lose (Disney+), and will be screening Elemental, following the film’s Cannes premiere.
Disney+ projects are in the mix with a first look at the new anthology Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire with three directors presenting, and a behind-the-scenes session on Star Wars: Visions vol. 2 shorts Screecher’s Reach (Cartoon Saloon), In the Stars (PunkRobot) and The Spy Dancer (Studio La Cachette).
Sony Pictures Animation will screen the new short The Spider Within: A Spider-VerseStory, the first project from the studio’s new shorts program for talents from underrepresented groups, and reveal a first look at the studio’s first-ever R-rated comedy, Fixed, from animation icon Genndy Tartakovsky.
Warner Bros. Animation will offer glimpses at The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim by Kenji Kamiyama and Rick and Morty: 10 Years of Intergalactic Adventures.
Nickelodeon Animation Studios will bring Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Paramount Pictures/Nickelodeon Movies) out of the sewers for a Work-in-Progress sneak peek.
Illumination will present it’s original high-flying comedy-adventure Migration (Universal Pictures), directed by Benjamin Renner.
Previously announced: DreamWorks Animation will premiere Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (Universal Pictures) at the event, attended by director Kirk DeMicco, producer Kelly Cooney Cilella and co-director Faryn Pearl, as well as presenting a Work-in-Progress sessions on Trolls: Band Together and a special outdoor screening of its hit sequel Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
Previously announced: Netflix has planned a jam-packed program, including a special screening and “Making of” for Nimona, panels with the creative teams behind Aardman’s Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget and upcoming series Blue Eye Samurai, a major “What’s Next” panel and more.
Audiences will also be treated to screenings of the full and medium length films Kaina of the Great Snow Sea: Star Sage directed by Hiroaki Ando, Ozi, Voice of the Forest by Tim Harper, The Forest of Miss Tang by Denis Do, Garden of Remembrance by Naoko Yamada, Nina et le Secret du hérisson (Nina and Hedgehog’s Secret) by Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli, and The Canterville Ghost by Kim Burdon.
Spellbound
The always intriguing Work in Progress (WIP) sessions will introduce 17 projects in production: 12 feature films, one series, three VR experiences and one short film.
Among these are buzzy titles like Roy and Arturo Ambriz’s Frankelda and the Prince of Spooksand the Warner Bros. Animation/Anima Estudios series Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires, both part of this year’s Mexican Animation focus; Apple/Skydance feature Spellbound directed by Vicky Jenson; and new projects from hot international talents like Jean-François Laguionie (Slocum), Gints Zilbalodis (Flow) and Bobbypills (Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix by Mehdi Leffad).
Today, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies announced that Rihanna will star as Smurfette inUntitled Smurfs Animated Film. Appearing on stage, Rihanna announced that she will also write and perform original music and serve as a producer for the film.
“On behalf of our studio and our creative partners at LAFIG, we couldn’t be more excited to have found our Smurfette in one of the most beloved stars in the world,” said Brian Robbins, President and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon, and Ramsey Naito, President of Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation. “With Rihanna’s singular creative appeal and musical talents, there is an enormous opportunity to elevate the cultural touchstone of The Smurfs universe in a way that’s never been done before.”
Based on the characters and works of Peyo, Untitled Smurfs Animated Film is directed by Chris Miller, co-directed by Matt Landon, and produced by Rihanna, Jay Brown, Tyran “Ty-Ty” Smith and Ryan Harris. The pic comes from Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies, in partnership with LAFIG Belgium and IMPS, the company that owns the Smurfs brand. Cinesite (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem) is providing animation services.
Rihanna entertained the audience at CinemaCon on Thursday. Photo courtesy of Paramount.
Netflix has announced another shiny addition to its kids & family animation lineup based on a hit property. Set to click into the lineup on June 1, LEGO Ninjago: Dragons Rising brings more martial arts action to the brickaverse.
In the series, many legendary realms have suddenly combined into one, but their union is unstable. A Spinjitzu Ninja Master must train a new generation of heroes to help find Elemental Dragons who can save the planet before the forces of evil use the same dragon energy to destroy this new world.
The series was teased by LEGO VP of Design Matthew Ashton in 2021, with a preview image unveiled at Comic-Con 2022. Ninjago writer-producer Doc Wyatt assured fans on Twitter earlier this year that Dragons Rising is a brand-new series, not a continuation of the previous 11-year story. Wyatt and his Spinjitzu partner Kevin Burke are lead writers on the new show.
Netflix and LEGO have now unveiled first look images and a teaser trailer for the new show, which we’re sure to hear more about in the coming weeks.
Disney is preparing a big finale for its 100th anniversary year, which will reach a high note with the holiday release of an epic musical fantasy “a century in the making” — Wish. Walt Disney Animation Studios today unveiled the teaser trailer as well as new poster artwork and stills offering a look into this enchanting new world. The film opens November 22 in theaters.
The trailer introduces 17-year-old Asha, the powerful King Magnifico, Asha’s pet goat Valentino and Star, a celestial ball of boundless energy that Asha’s wish calls down from the sky. It also features a snippet of the song “This Wish,” performed by Ariana DeBose; it’s one of several new songs written by Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice for the film.
Wish welcomes audiences to Rosas, a fantastical land located off the Iberian Peninsula. “Our heroine, Asha, lives in Rosas, known as the kingdom of wishes,” said director Chris Buck, who helms the film with Fawn Veerasunthorn. “People come from everywhere to give their wishes to a magical king who promises to grant their deepest desires — someday. Only he can decide which wishes will come true and when.”
Added Veerasunthorn, “We have been inspired by so many iconic films over Disney Animation’s 100 years, especially stories where we explore the power of someone with a wish, combined with the conviction to make that wish come true. Being able to honor that legacy with this incredible story and these amazing characters has been a joy for our entire team.”
Synopsis: In Wish, Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force — a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe — the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico — to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.
Featuring the voices of Academy Award-winning actor Ariana DeBose as Asha, Chris Pine as Magnifico and Alan Tudyk as Asha’s favorite goat, Valentino.
The film is helmed by Oscar-winning director Buck (Frozen, FrozenII) and Veerasunthorn (Raya and the Last Dragon), produced by Peter Del Vecho (Frozen, FrozenII) and co-produced by Juan Pablo Reyes (“Encanto”). Jennifer Lee (Frozen, FrozenII) executive produces — Lee and Allison Moore (Night Sky, Manhunt) are writers on the project. With original songs by Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer/songwriter/musician Benjamin Rice, plus score by composer Dave Metzger
Chris Pine (Into the Woods, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) officially kicked off his reign today as King Magnifico in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ all-new musical-comedy Wish, opening in U.S. theaters on November 22.
Joining Academy Award-winning actress Ariana DeBose, who voices a young woman named Asha in the film, Pine lends his voice to the ruler of Rosas, a magical kingdom where wishes really do come true.
“As the most powerful person in the kingdom, King Magnifico needed to be played by someone who could give all the charm, cleverness and charisma to this magnanimous character, and Chris is beautifully bringing all of that and then some,” said Jennifer Lee, Wish executive producer and one of the writers for the film.
Tony Chambers, EVP and head of theatrical distribution for The Walt Disney Studios, revealed the casting coup at CinemaCon 2023 this morning, highlighting that Wish continues Disney Animation’s tradition of bringing epic tales to the big screen for families to experience together over the Thanksgiving holiday and beyond. The film also helps mark the culmination of Disney100, a yearlong celebration honoring the legacy of Walt Disney while continuing to push the boundaries of storytelling and innovation for the next 100 years.
Synopsis: Wish introduces Asha, a sharp-witted idealist who makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force — a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star set out to prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.
Also featuring the voice of Alan Tudyk as Asha’s favorite goat, Valentino.
The film is helmed by Oscar-winning director Chris Buck (Frozen, Frozen II) and Fawn Veerasunthorn (Raya and the Last Dragon), produced by Peter Del Vecho (Frozen, Frozen II) and co-produced by Juan Pablo Reyes (Encanto). Jennifer Lee (Frozen, Frozen II) executive produces — Lee and Allison Moore (Night Sky, Manhunt) are writers on the project. With original songs by Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer/songwriter/musician Benjamin Rice, plus score by composer Dave Metzger.
On today’s (Weds., April 26) episode of NPR’s Code Switch, a discussion podcast exploring how race impacts society, listeners are able to tune in to the first public discussion between actor Hank Azaria and comedian Hari Kondabolu since the release of the latter’s shake-up documentary, The Problem with Apu (2017). The film’s critical spotlight on how South Asians are portrayed in Hollywood sparked many debates about Azaria, a white man, voicing Indian immigrant Apu Nahasapeemapetilon on The Simpsons — a character long criticized for promoting racial stereotypes.
On Code Switch, Kondabolu elaborated on how he views the effects of negative representation and the impact of his film. “Representation has weight, but it’s not necessarily the act of violence in itself. But the person who was making [Apu] wanted a very specific effect out of the images and words that they used.
“To be honest, I have sometimes thought to myself, I regret ever doing this. The documentary is about how I hate being associated with this stereotype and now I’m forever associated with it. There is a lot of irony and frustration in that. But then all of a sudden you speak in a college classroom, or you find out that your documentary is being used when teaching media representation or you hear from South Asian parents who talk about how much this means to them because they have children. Now I have a kid, and it feels different. My kid’s not gonna deal with a lot of this stuff.
“I still get like annoyed that we gotta talk about it, but at the same time, in the broad scheme of things, I think I did right by my community,” Kondabolu concluded. “Even if they’re not all in agreement.”
“I was about 22, 23 when I started doing voices on the show, The first voice I did was Moe the bartender. And then the following week I came back and did the voice Chief Wiggum. And then that week or the following week, there was an Apu line, and it was just written as clerk, and the producer, the director I was working with at the time said, can you do an Indian accent? And I said, yeah, I can try and did my version of an Indian accent, and that was it,” Azaria recalls on the podcast. “The only really Indian accent that I had context for, apart from guys who worked at the 7-Eleven that I was near in L.A., was Peter Sellers in The Party. It was mostly an homage to that, one of my heroes.”
Speaking on the personal impact of The Problem with Apu and the heated discussions that flared after its release, Azaria tells Kondabolu he was extremely grateful for the filmmaker “dragging and pushing me into this conversation.”
“It means a lot to hear you say that,” Kondabolu says. “I know you’ve told me privately the impact that I’ve made, but to hear that publicly is a really big deal to me because one of the things that frustrated me after the film came out is that I was getting death threats … Initially it bothered me that you didn’t mention me because I had to deal with all this crap to get it there … There is a history of white folks talking about what they’ve learned and sharing the knowledge without giving credit to the people of color that actually got them there. Like, you put in the work and then you get never get credit for the work. And at the end of the day, I’m talking about this way more than I wanted to.
“And I know it’s a different experience for both of us, because for you it’s opened up all these new ideas and you’ve grown in incredible ways and I can see your excitement about the work you’re doing now. To me, this was old hat when I made the documentary. So it’s the double whammy of being stuck here without also getting props. So for you to say it now does mean a lot.”
“I apologize for not saying it earlier,” Azaria responds. “It put me in a dilemma because it’s still embarrassing to me to point at the doc, although whatever I feel personally about it is a drop in the ocean compared to what your community has had to deal with.”
The last Simpsons episode with Azaria as Apu aired in 2017. The character has not featured in any stories since, but has appeared in the background of some episodes. The Flash actor Alex Désert took over as Lou and Carl.
Listen to Kondabolu and Azaria’s discussion on Code Switch, “The Fallout of a Callout,” online at npr.org.
Apple TV+ today released the trailer for Season 2 of Harriet the Spy, based on the children’s novel chronicling the coming-of-age adventures of the irrepressible Harriet M. Welsch, premiering May 5.
Produced by The Jim Henson Company, the animated series stars Golden Globe nominee Beanie Feldstein (Lady Bird, Booksmart) as fiercely independent and adventurous Harriet, alongside Emmy Award winner Jane Lynch (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as Ole Golly, Harriet’s larger-than-life, no-nonsense nanny.
Harriet the Spy follows the outspoken and perpetually curious 11-year-old Harriet M. Welsch. More than anything, Harriet wants to be a writer, and in order to be a good writer, she’ll need to know everything. And to know everything means she’ll need to spy … on everyone! This season, follow Harriet as she navigates letting go, growing up, and celebrating the gift of today.
Beanie Feldstein as Harriet and Jane Lynch as Ole Golly in ‘Harriet the Spy’ (Apple TV+)
Joining Feldstein and Lynch, the series features Kimberly Brooks (Baby Shark’s Big Show) and Charlie Schlatter (Big Nate, For All Mankind) as Janie and Sport, Harriet’s best friends; Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls) as Marion Hawthorne, the ringleader of a group of popular girls at Harriet’s school; and additional voice cast Crispin Freeman (Young Justice), Grey Griffin (The Loud House) and Bumper Robinson (The Owl House).
Guest stars this season include Jaeden Martell (It), Emmy Award winner Brad Garrett (High Desert, Bupkis), Emmy Award nominee Michelle Trachtenberg (Gossip Girl) and many more.
Charlie Schlatter as SPort, Kimberly Brooks as Janie and Beanie Feldstein as Harriet in ‘Harriet the Spy’ (Apple TV+)
Based on the book by Louise Fitzhugh, the Apple Original series is produced by The Jim Henson Company, and written and executive produced by Will McRobb (The Adventures of Pete & Pete) with Sidney Clifton (Black Panther animated series; Me, Eloise) as producer. Lisa Henson and Halle Stanford executive produce on behalf of The Jim Henson Company with John W. Hyde, Nancy Steingard and Wendy Moss-Klein also serving as executive producers, and Terissa Kelton as co-executive producer. Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski and Ben Kalina executive produce for Titmouse Animation Studios.
The award-winning slate of original animated series and films for kids and families on Apple TV+ includes this year’s Academy Award and BAFTA Award-winning animated short The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated feature Wolfwalkers, BAFTA and Humanitas Prize-winning series El Deafo, BAFTA-winning Lovely Little Farm, GLAAD Media Award nominated Pinecone & Pony, Emmy-winning Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, Peabody and Emmy-winning series Stillwater and Emmy nominee Snoopy in Space.
The nominees for the 2023 Irish Animation Awards (irishanimationawards.ie) have been announced today (Wednesday, April 26) by Animation Ireland, the trade association for Irish animation studios. This year’s ceremony will be held in Galway on Saturday, May 27.
In a record year for the Irish animation sector, 53 Irish productions were nominated for an award. Leading the way with seven nominations is Cartoon’s Saloon’s feature film produced for Netflix, My Father’s Dragon, directed by the Oscar-nominated Nora Twomey. The preschool series Odo, produced for Channel 5 by Sixteen South, has six nominations and RTÉ’s preschool series Ray of Sunshine, produced by Daily Madness, has five nominations.
The biennial awards are the premier event in the Irish animation calendar and celebrate the creative brilliance and talent of the Irish animation sector. The ceremony will take place in person for the first time since the COVID pandemic.
“It has been another superb year for Irish animation and we now have a record number of Irish productions being nominated. There is nominated work from Oscar and BAFTA winners alongside stunning work from student producers, and the quality across the board is immense. It’s really heartening that the future remains bright for Irish animation,” said Animation Ireland’s Chief Executive, Ronan McCabe.
“It will be great to be back having our awards in person again for the first time since 2019 due to the pandemic. We are running a full day event with industry panels and discussions taking place in the morning, followed by the awards ceremony in the evening. I must also extend a huge thank you to all of our other sponsors who play such an important role in supporting Irish animation and making this event happen.”
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and RTÉ are the headline sponsors for the 2023 Irish Animation Awards. This year’s other sponsors include Northern Ireland Screen, Coimisiún na Meán, Creative Europe Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Nickelodeon and Milkshake.
Winners of each category will receive a statuette designed by animator, filmmaker and teacher Eimhín McNamara. The statuette resembles a Phenakistoscope, an early animation device used to create an illusion of motion.
The nominees are…
Best Animated Preschool Series
Ada Twist, Scientist
Circle Square
Kiva Can Do!
Odo
Ray Of Sunshine
Best Animated Kids Series 6+
Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese
El Deafo
Karma’s World
Tales from Dún Draíochta
The Cuphead Show!
Best Animated Short Film
Bardo
Lady Betty
Memento Mori
Nana’s Terrifying Zoom Call
Soul Office
Best International Short Film
Cornucopia
Cha Cha
GMAN: a qixia in space
Signal
The Stranger
Best Writer for Preschool Animation
Fia’s Fairies “Chick A Bye Baby”
Happy The Hoglet “Happy Hogfairy”
Kiva Can Do! “Beach Ready Yeti”
Odo “Doodle Song”
Ray Of Sunshine “Under The Weather”
Best Writer for an Animated Series
Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese “Junked”
Tales from Dun Draiochta “Lusmore and the Rapping Fairy”
Tales from Dun Draiochta “The Scottish Giant”
The Royals Next Door “Royal Re-Enactment”
Best Animation for Apps, Games & Interactive
Cat Burglar
VOOKS- Life Of Pele
VOOKS- The Solar System with Ellen
Waggle
Best Art Direction & Design
Ada Twist, Scientist
Bardo
Empty Little People
Odo
The Imagination Machine
Best Director of an Animated Series
El Deafo
Karma’s World
Odo
Ray Of Sunshine
Transformers BotBots
Best Animation Sequence
Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese
Coming Home
My Father’s Dragon
The Cuphead Show!
Gas Networks “Tommy” Promo
Best Music
Critters TV
Empty Little People
My Father’s Dragon
Ray Of Sunshine
Red Rabbit
Best Sound Design
Bardo
Memento Mori
Monster Hunters: Legends of the Guild
My Father’s Dragon
My Little Pony: A New Generation
Best Irish Feature or Special
Adam Saves Christmas
Pinkalicious And Peterrific
My Father’s Dragon
The Ghastly Ghoul
Best Innovation in Animation
A Thing Called Joy
Adventureverse
Face2Face – Charles & Camilla
Fia’s Fairies
Myth Masters
Best New Irish IP
Alva’s World
Happy The Hoglet
Odo
The Imagination Machine
The Wee Littles
Best Student Film
Fall of the Ibis King
His Dancing Shoes
Small Hours
Small Makings of a Storm
Witch of the Woods
Best Editing
Ada Twist, Scientist
Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese
El Deafo
Happy The Hoglet
My Father’s Dragon
Best Storyboarding
El Deafo
Karma’s World
My Father’s Dragon
Ray Of Sunshine
Transformers: BotBots
Best VFX
Mimi’s World
My Fathers Dragon
The Cuphead Show!
The Imagination Machine
Wendell & Wild
Animation Ireland is the trade association for Ireland’s animation studios, representing 42 member studios, who employ more than two thousand people on the island of Ireland. The sector has seen meteoric growth in recent years, with the industry now generating almost €200 million for the economy annually, as Irish animation projects are viewed in over 180 countries worldwide. animationireland.com
Sony Pictures Television – Kids (SPT – Kids), formerly Silvergate Media, is building on the successful global launch of its new animated children’s series The Creature Cases with a third chapter, available on Netflix from May 22. A new trailer packed with animal detective action dropped today.
The first chapter of The Creature Cases premiered on Netflix in April 2022, hitting Netflix’s global top 10 in its opening fortnight. In China, the action-comedy series debuted on Tencent in June 2022 and was an instant hit with audiences becoming Tencent’s top children’s show, generating over 800 million views in six months.
The new 7 x 22’ episodes include the mysteries “The Forest Food Bandit” and “The Undercover Hyena.” Spanning locations from the South American Wetlands to the New Zealand Tundra, Chapter 3 sees dynamic detective duo Sam Snow and Kit Casey crack cases involving giraffes, capybaras, scorpions and an assortment of other strange and compelling creatures.
Armed with top-secret intel from their miniature contacts, the Mice Squad, these brilliant animal sleuths travel a world populated exclusively by animals, solving mind-boggling animal mysteries that mix real zoological facts with wild detective action.
The Creature Cases
Aimed at children aged four to seven years, The Creature Cases is an original series created by head writer/producer Gabe Pulliam, with executive producers Adam Idelson and Kurt Mueller.
Further episodes are currently in production at award-winning French animation studio TeamTO, set to rollout from 2024.
“The Creature Cases has quickly established itself as a breakout hit from our portfolio of award-winning original children’s animated programming. We are absolutely thrilled that the show has been embraced by families around the world in such a short time,” said Kurt Mueller, EVP Creative Content and series executive producer. “The dynamic adventures, animal facts and bold animation have created a groundswell of positive sentiment from global audiences and responds to consumer demand for fresh characters and storylines that are completely new.”
Alongside new content, SPT – Kids is assembling consumer products programs in key markets led by toys and publishing.
Sony Pictures Television – Kids, formerly Silvergate Media, is an award-winning division of Sony Pictures Television whose productions also include the global hit series Octonauts, Octonauts: Above and Beyond, Peter Rabbit, Hilda and SuperKitties for Disney Junior and Disney+. The division, which became part of Sony Pictures Television in 2019, has offices in London, New York and Los Angeles.
Annecy Festival has unveiled details of its special focus on Mexican Animation, which will bring the country’s colorful artistic traditions, global talents and emerging storytellers into the spotlight June 11-17. Across festival programs on shorts, TV and student work as well as work-in-progress feature sessions and a Mifa masterclass, attendees will have much to discover about Mexico’s contributions to the animation map.
“Everyone knows Guillermo del Toro, Jorge R. Gutierrez, but what do we really know about Mexican animation, which remains very little-known?” says Marcel Jean, the Festival’s Artistic Director. “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.”
Annecy Festival will celebrate Mexican Animation across nine distinctive special programs:
Y si eres mujer (Guadalupe Sanchez Sosa)
Mexican Archeology
Back to Mexican animation’s roots, this program highlights the experimental and historical works reflecting the multiplicity and milestones in Mexico’s animation history.
Hasta los huesos (René Castillo_
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.
Rehen
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.
La nina del rio
Urban and Suburban Tales
Through a host of different mediums, the films in this program 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 program presents a few of the more recent shows, in particular the first animated series for TV created in Mexico in 1972.
Mi abuela Matilde (Miguel Anaya Borja)
Growing up Mexican
This program 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.
Trayectoria de una lagrima (Marisa Raygoza)
Surrealities: Poetic Imagery
Through the diversity of the animation medium, this selection pays tribute to experimental artists who have challenged established narratives, structure, time and movement in search of expression, empathy and a new language.
En avant (Mitchelle Tamariz)
The Untold Stories
The films in this program demonstrate Mexican animation’s commitment and urgency to describe the structural violence across the country that is violating our bodies and lives.
Taller de corazones (León Fernández)
Mexico in Hollywood TV
This program 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, the Festival features key directors such as Sofia Carrillo (Cerulia), 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.
Jorge R. Gutierrez
Sofia E. Alexander
Estrella Araiza
The Festival also welcomes three Mexican jury members to its 2023 edition:
VR Works category Jorge R. Gutierrez
A director, in particular of The Book of Life, and he designed the Festival’s official poster.
Feature Films category Sofía E. Alexander
An animator known for her work as executive producer and creator of the show Onyx Equinox.
TV and Commissioned Films category Estrella Araiza
General Director of the Guadalajara International Film Festival.
In addition, the Perspectives jury will be composed of three young people from Guadalajara, who will be awarding the City of Annecy Award for a Short Film.
Flesh of God
Smoke
I Can’t Go on Like This
K8
Shifting
Dr. Gecko’s Show
Blood Type: Plastic
The abundance of Mexican animation is waiting to be discovered in competition in a variety of Festival 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
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 (U.S./Mexico coproduction)
Frankelda and the Prince of Spooks
Mexican Animation at Annecy also include two WIP Feature Film projects, including Frankelda and the Prince of Spooks (Frankelda y el principe de los sustos) by Roy Ambriz and Arturo Ambriz.
Plus, 10 teasers made by Gobelins Paris will have a Mexican theme.
Mifa
The Mifa is also getting into the spirit of the national theme. 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, June 13 at 9:00 a.m.
Throughout the week, numerous events will highlight Mexican animation’s talent and content. For example, Partners Conferences, Partners Pitches and sessions that will be addressing issues around coproduction.
Register to attend Annecy 2023 and find more information at annecyfestival.com.
