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Annecy is underway, and the festival wasted little time reminding attendees why, despite being the oldest animation festival in the world, it remains the art form’s most vital and influential annual gathering.
Sunday’s opening ceremony set the tone for the week ahead with appearances from Chris Meledandri and Guillermo del Toro, a touching tribute to Marjane Satrapi and her impact on the animation community, and the world premiere of Illumination’s Minions & Monsters. Earlier in the afternoon, Aardman unveiled new projects, including Let’s Go Timmy! and Danger Delilah.
Before the crowds settle into theaters around town this week and industry pros gather for chats and networking, Annecy had already assembled one of its most ambitious programs in recent memory. Over the past several weeks, we’ve broken down this year’s feature film competition, Contrechamp lineup, Annecy Presents selections, Work in Progress sessions, television programs, commissioned films, and short film competition. We also highlighted ten shorts that we think any attendee should take special care to seek out.
In the weeks leading up to the festival, our readers got exclusive early looks at many of the films and series arriving on the shores of Lake Annecy this week. We debuted exclusive footage and trailers from Hisko Hulsing’s Danse Macabre, Anna Mantzaris’ Please, upcoming Kiwi project Kiri and Lou: Go Raaa!, Jim Queen, Lucy Lost, The Violinist, Walking With Animators, Cartoon Physics, and Bellolandia’s Argentine series Electro Andes.
This is only the beginning for the festival and for our coverage. Throughout the coming week, we’ll be reporting in person from screenings, presentations, and industry events across Annecy and its accompanying MIFA market, with news, interviews, features, and analysis from the French Alps. If something important happens here, we’ll be sure you can read about it on the website and in our festival dailies, with a second edition coming your way this Thursday and a festival wrap next Monday.
To keep up with all the biggest animation news at Annecy and the rest of the year, sign up for our twice-weekly newsletter here.
