Annecy unveils competing feature films, Contrechamp and special screenings

Attendees are set for a truly triumphant return to a live edition at the 2022 Annecy Festival. At today's press conference held at the CNC, festival director Mickaël Marin and artistic director Marcel Jean presented the highlights of the 46th edition to be held from 13 to 18 June and have announced the official selection of feature films.

“I would like to remind you of the state of mind in which we have been working in recent months. I know that we all had our hearts ready to meet again in a complete, total way, to reconnect with the soul of this festival made of encounters and sharing, to ignite that cinematic heartbeat once again ”, said Marin. "We envisioned this year's festival as a firework of creativity and diversity to showcase the vibrant strength of a cinema we are so proud to serve."

Jean added: “The selection of the 2022 Festival is diverse and surprising. It testifies to the vitality of animation and the exceptional development of world production over the last few years. The qualities and quantities are such that it feels almost cramped for space at the largest animation festival in the world!

Difficult decisions were made to narrow the field of the approximately 100 feature films submitted for examination; in the end, Jean and his committee selected 10 titles for the Feature Films in Competition program (in alphabetical order):

Blind Willow, Sleeping Womanby Pierre Foldes
Miyu Productions, Cinéma Defacto (Canada, France, Luxembourg)
“This may very well be the most anticipated animated film of the year! Loosely adapted from many of Haruki Murakami's short stories, the film is truly unique and its structure honors the traits of the novels that inspired the director ”. - Marcel Jean

Charlotte by Eric Warin & Tahir Rana
January Films, Walking the Dog, Les Productions Balthazar (Belgium, Canada, France)
"The all too short life of German Jewish painter Charlotte Salomon, who died at 26 in Auschwitz, is portrayed in this gripping film that explores an exceptional artistic temperament overwhelmed by the whirlwind of history."

Goodbye, DonGlees! by Atsuko Ishizuka
Kadokawa Pictures (Japan)
“Goodbye DonGlees! released in Japan in February it is both a story of friendship and a rite of passage. Funny, moving, close to nature, a film that will delight anime fans ”.

The House of the Lost on the Cape (Misaki no mayoiga) by Shinya Kawatsura
DAVID Production (Japan)
“A meticulous adaptation of Kashiwaba's novel, this feature rekindles memories of the tragic 2011 earthquake and subsequent tsunami. While the composition of the first few minutes of this film may seem relatively conventional, the rest is certainly full of surprises with segments on the verge of experimentation. "

The Island by Anca Damian
Aparte Film (Romania, France, Belgium)
"Using her unique and always surprising style, Anca Damian, winner of the 2012 Cristal Feature Film, freely revisits the myth of Robinson Crusoe, giving viewers a dive into his baroque realm."

Little Nicholas - Happy as Can Be by Amandine Fredon, Benjamin Massoubre
Bibidul Productions, Onyx Films (France, Luxembourg)
“Using animation to redraw Sempé's strokes and add color to the artist's drawings was certainly a big challenge. A challenge taken up by a talented team that has never taken easy ways out and that makes us feel at home with Goscinny's verve and Sempé's agility. A great popular film that - we trust - will easily bridge the generation gap! "

No Dogs or Italians Allowed by Alain Ughetto
Les Films du Tambour de Soie (France, Italy)
“Jasmine was the revelation of the 2013 Annecy Festival. Now, almost 10 years later, Alain Ughetto returns with a film that once again draws deeply on autobiography, a film in which the narrative device is once again built on the representation of the production resources of the film. The Annecy Festival is thrilled to renew its acquaintance with this too rare author. "

My Love Affair with Marriage by Signe Baumane
The Marriage Project, Locomotive Production, Antevita Films (USA, Latvia, Luxembourg)
“One of the great forces of contemporary feminist animation, here Signe Baumane offers us a second feature film that pursues a unique and coherent approach. It is equally intimate and fun, without forgetting the joy that songs interspersed with throughout history bring us. "

­Nayola by José Miguel Ribeiro
Praça Filmes (Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, France)
“Political and social, José Miguel Ribeiro delves into the history of Angola to tell the fate of three women of the same family, a tribute to the struggle of courageous Angolan women whose lives are marked by the violence of history. This is a very successful transition from short films to feature films by a well-known short film director. "

Unicorn Wars by Alberto Vazquez
Abano Producións, Uniko Estudio Creative, Autour de Minuit, Schmuby Productions (Spain, France)
“Prolific and gifted, the Spaniard Alberto Vazquez favors us with his second feature, so surprising for its visual opulence, its generous staging and its originality. A pleasure not only for the eyes but also for the spirit! "

There are also 10 films competing in the Contrechamp category:

Aurora's Sunrise by Inna Sahakyan
Gebrüder Beetz Filmproduktion, Bars Media, Artbox Laisvalaikio Klubas, VS! (Germany, Armenia, Lithuania)
“In this animated documentary, flawlessly directed by Inna Sahakyan, silent film star Aurora Mardiganian comes to life to tell the story of the genocide she survived. It is a work that draws its breath from the winds of history. " - Marcel Jean

Chun Tae-il: A Flame That Lives On (Tae-il-i) by Jun-pyo Hong
Myung Films (South Korea)
“This is a film that takes us to the heart of Seoul's tailors' union struggles. Of classical composition, this moving social drama originates from the true story of one of the most emblematic figures of the workers' movement. "

Dozens of Norths (Ikuta no Kita) by Koji Yamamura
Yamamura Animation, Miyu Productions (France, Japan)
“A regular Festival goer, Koji Yamamura brings us a contemplative and enigmatic first feature film that creates languid charm while its clean graphics subtly unfold. Definitely a film to discover. "

Home Is Somewhere Else by Carlos Hagerman & Jorge Villalobos
Brinca Animation STudio, Shina Global (USA, Mexico)
“Another animated documentary here focusing on the destinies and dreams of young Mexicans who migrate to the United States. Three stories with as many graphic and technical styles, a hotly topical film. "

Khamsa - The Well of Oblivion by Khaled Chiheb
D-CLIK (Algeria)
“What a joy to welcome an Algerian feature film to this competition for the first time! Pleasant, contemplative and almost esoteric, Khamsa sometimes reminds us of Laloux and Gwen from Laguionie and others… In the end, the result is eminently personal and promises splendid futures for North African animation. "

My Grandfather's Demons by Nuno Beato
Sardinha Em Lata, Marmitafilms, Caretos Film (Spain, France, Portugal)
"A real dive into the family novel, My Grandfather's Demons is surprising for the transition from one technique to another, as well as for the density of his discourse on the roots and the impact of the latter on our social relationships."

­­­The Other Shape (The other way) by Diego Guzman
Hierro Animación, Smith & Smith (Colombia)
“This year the honor of representing South America in the Contrechamp category goes to Colombian Diego Guzman. He offers us a futuristic film without dialogue, an intriguing journey through a hallucinatory world. "

Silver Bird and Rainbow Fish of you you
C Ray Studio, Chinese Shadows (USA, Netherlands)
“Chinese artist Lei Lei is back with this buzzing feature film in which he explores his family's past, creating a sort of huge surreal collage studded with pop art references. Presented for the first time in Rotterdam, Silver Bird and Rainbow Fish are one of the most unique objects in the Annecy selection of 2022. "

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­Quantum Cowboys, by Geoff Marslett
Fit Via Vi (USA)
“Now, here's a very weird western where the director uses rotoscoping and adds time travel elements. A revelation for the selection committee and a film that we want to share today with the festival goers. "

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Yaya and Lennie - The Walking Liberty by Alessandro Rak
Mad Entertainment SpA (Italy)
“For his third performance at the Annecy competition, the Italian Alessandro Rak returns with a lighthearted film, an ecological science fiction tale. Sometimes Yaya and Lennie seem to transpose Of Mice and Men into a post-apocalyptic scene. "

Of course, visitors to Annecy will also be able to witness the latest Despicable installment of the hugely successful Illumination franchise featuring Minions 2 - How Gru becomes very bad (Minions: The Rise of Gru) as the opening film of the festival. Marin and Jean also revealed more exclusive first looks and big-screen delights in the Projection Events schedule, including:

The first footage of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One), directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson
The first footage of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, directed by Joel Crawford of DreamWorks
The first video of Ernest and Celestine, a Trip to Gibberitia, directed by Jean-Christophe Roger and Julien Chheng of Studio Folivar
The feature film My Father's Secrets by Véra Belmont
Walt Disney Animation Studios presents a look into the future of Strange World, and Jennifer Lee, the studio's Chief Creative Officer and Oscar-winning director / writer of Frozen & Frozen 2, will receive the Annecy Honorary Cristal Award.
Special screening of Disney and Pixar's Lightyear, with director Angus MacLane and producer Galyn Susman himself
Special screening of The Sea Beast, directed by Chris Williams and produced by Netflix Animation.

Additionally, festival goers will discover the next big animation phenomenon of tomorrow with sneak peeks of 15 projects taking shape in the WIP program; including eight feature films, three series, three XR experiences and one short film.