Charming ‘Luce And The Rock’ Spin-Off Series Brings Back Annecy Festival’s Sweetheart Duo (EXCLUSIVE CLIP)

With an impressive track record of more than 200 festivals, Britt Raes’ short Luce and the Rock (produced by Thuristar and La Cabane and distributed by Miyu) debuted online two years ago, gathering thousands of views.

Fans young and old wanted more from the lovable duo, and both Raes and producer Perrine Gauthier were eager to provide.

Joined by co-director Mathilde Prévost, Raes and Gauthier are bringing to Annecy a first look at the upcoming 35×7’ series, topped off by two 14-minute specials.

Ahead of Annecy, the team took Cartoon Brew behind the scenes of the upcoming show, which is backed by broadcasters in Belgium, France, and Switzerland, co-funded by the E.U., and sold internationally by CAKE Distribution. We’re also happy to share an exclusive clip, which you can discover below.

“The initial short film originated from dozens of sketches I made of a tiny human and a giant creature,” recalls Raes. “I loved the contrast between them and wondered how two very different characters would become friends.” While the Luce and the Rock short answers that question, both director and producer wanted to expand this rich yet simple universe into something much bigger.

“Initially, we had imagined developing a collection of shorts taking place in the same universe, the Lovely Land,” adds Gauthier. “But we quickly realized how attached we had become to Luce and the Rock, and that a series format would be a great opportunity to continue exploring these characters and their unique bond.”

During the summer of 2022, Raes wrote 30 short story ideas about adventures they could have together and shared them with Gauthier.

“We were both excited to further explore the world of Luce and the Rock,” she adds, “and I also took the opportunity to explore themes and values such as curiosity, open-mindedness, and empathy that matter to me and to us as a team.”

Having produced the short film beforehand has been both an advantage and a challenge for the team. On one hand, they had tons of visual assets that helped them present the project and convince partners. On the other hand, establishing a clear identity for the series proved more difficult.

According to Gauthier, the best way to achieve this was through solid, mindful development work.

“First internally, then by bringing partners on board, and later with the support of VRT-Ketnet, France Télévisions, the series’ international distributor CAKE, and several subsidies. This is how we launched production in September 2025, with a strong set of creative materials.”

To support Raes in this endeavor, Gauthier reached out to ECV alum and skilled storyboard artist Mathilde Prévost.

“Britt and I clearly matched, and based on our different experiences, her making independent short films and me working on series productions, we started to determine how we could support each other on this project. For a while we called each other every morning, but now that the series is in full-blown production, it’s sometimes trickier to find the time.”

Still, both directors remain in sync, being very complementary to each other.

“The artistic elements that people loved in the short film are preserved in the series,” underlines Raes, “including the visual style, playing with shapes and colors, the use of split screens, limited dialogue, quality sound design and music, etc. But for a series format, the pipeline is different, of course, so we took time to explore how to keep what we like and what it means when creating new elements.”

To empower the duo, Gauthier brought together an all-female team, something that was quite important to the seasoned producer of Mush-Mush and the Mushables and Goat Girl.

“As a producer, I’m committed to creating space for diverse voices and worldviews. Supporting projects led by women creators and directors, such as Britt and Mathilde, is one way of doing that. Beyond that, we at La Cabane want to contribute to the growing representation of women across all departments and levels of responsibility in animation. So on Luce and the Rock, female presence behind the screen extends well beyond the directing team, with key leadership roles at every stage of production.”

A choice that provided the perfect playground for the director duo, blending comedy and cuteness into a new rhythm for this short-form series project.

“The series’ episodes are shorter than the original 13-minute film,” adds Raes, “which has an impact on the pacing. We also made a conscious decision to enhance the comedy in a way that fits the style and supports the storytelling.”

Here, Prévost’s input proved very valuable, as her experience storyboarding comedy series helped create a distinctive tone and pace for the show.

Citing Little Amélie and Le Collège Noir as inspirational works from fellow French animators, Prévost says she also draws a lot of inspiration from what she calls underground DIY artists.

“In this era where we are drowning in content (sometimes not even made by humans), going back to making art with little to no means, embracing imperfections and authenticity, feels powerful and moving.”

Samuel by Émilie Tronche and Bitches by Manon Tacconi are good examples of that, she adds, both reminding us that we can tell beautiful, fun, and deep stories without crazy big budgets.

Currently in production, Luce and the Rock comes to Annecy with its first completed episodes, which will be shared with partners and potential buyers during an exclusive Mifa screening on Tuesday, June 23.

Along with CAKE, the team is looking forward to welcoming additional broadcasters and platforms alongside the major players already on board: France Télévisions, VRT-Ketnet, RTBF, RTS, DR, and TV5MONDE.

“Sharing the work we’ve been doing is rewarding for the whole team and encouraging for the rest of the production,” emphasizes Gauthier. “We can’t wait to hear the reactions. I sincerely feel we’re making a very special show, one that will resonate strongly with children and families. A feel-good series featuring endearing characters, driven by curiosity and kindness. All things the world very much needs right now.”