The organizers of the Annecy festival share songs on the online edition

We stumbled recently Annecy festival artistic director Marcel Jean and CEO of CITIA Mickaël Marin, who were kind enough to share their views on this year's online event, which runs June 15-30 (annecy.org). An online festival pass will only cost you 15 euros ($ 17) and a MIFA accreditation costs 110 euros ($ 125) for professionals. You can read more about this year's offers at Animation magazinePre-festival coverage.

Animag: We are sure these last few months have been quite hectic for you. How do you feel about the current plans to get the festival online this year?

Mickaël Marin: In early April, it became clear that it was impossible to think of an international festival in Annecy in June. We looked into postponing the event, but that was also quite problematic. As the selection was almost complete, as we knew it would be impossible to imagine keeping all these films for 2021, we decided to go online. At this point, yesterday's problem has turned into an opportunity: you need to motivate your team to innovate and find different ways to create an enjoyable event.

Marcel Jean: It is important to say something: the decision to connect online was made because we didn't want to leave all the artists without anything in front of them for months. I think a selection in Annecy is something important for them. An award in Annecy means a lot. So for us, it was about showing our respect, our admiration and our love for his work. We also wanted to offer something to our passionate and loyal festival goers. Because Annecy's audience is the best audience in the world!

What will you miss most of a live event this year?

MJ: People. Annecy is the place where you can meet your friends, your business partners and your few enemies in the world of animation. I am always happy to see how students can access people from major studios, how animators working for television can meet experimental directors, etc. There is no equivalent to the atmosphere of Annecy.

MM: Without a doubt we will miss Paquier's big screen, which is our signature. And the incredible atmosphere at MIFA.

What do you think are the highlights of the online festival?

MM: Our team has worked very hard to have original and exclusive content. Annecy is known for its Work in Progress presentations. In collaboration with the producers, we have found ways to offer these presentations to the public.

MJ: I am particularly happy with the TV competition. It's a very strong year and I hope the online format will allow more people to see it.

Have you experienced any of the other online festivals and events this year? What's the biggest drawback?

MJ: I didn't have much time to really experience the other festivals online. I've had a few quick looks on some platforms. For me, the main challenge is to create a "sense evenementiel" during the online festival. You don't want to have something flat. You want to create emotion.

MM: Neither did I, but I took the time to talk to other festival directors and they generously shared their experience with us. The biggest drawback is probably his ability to react to the audience, adjust his behavior and focus on the real situation. Our organization is generally very responsive. Every year we face new situations and react very quickly. Our team is experienced and proactive. We have an incredible ability to improvise. This year will be different. Certainly less natural for everyone.

What have been the biggest challenges for you this year?

MJ: To create an exciting experience for festival goers. I don't care about the quality of the product at all. The movies are great, the original content will be great. The challenge is to create some kind of interaction. It may seem like a paradox, because the Internet is a place of interactivity, but it's not that easy to recreate the level of interactivity you have when hundreds of filmmakers and thousands of viewers are together in the same physical space.

MM: Another challenge was the inability to conceive Annecy online as a local event. Everything would have been easier if we had decided to geolocate access. But Annecy is an international event and we thought it was absurd to go back to this aspect. There is also an economic challenge. There was no business plan for such an event, so we're jumping off the cliff and parachuting as we fall.

Was it difficult to convince distributors of films and short films to agree to make your films available online?

MJ: Surprisingly no. You know, we're all in the same boat. So after the early days, when some filmmakers, producers and distributors were still waiting to show their films at a major international festival this summer, the reality and the aftermath of the pandemic hit everyone.

There were two types of problems. First, the films that weren't completed when we decided to select them. With the closure, production of some of these films was halted. So they had to withdraw. The second problem concerned the movies. The financial structure of a film is generally based on the investment of a few distributors, more than a television network, a sales agent, etc. Therefore, we had to figure out different ways to rate these films for competition.

Can you tell us something about how MIFA approaches the online component of the festival?

MM / Véronique Encrenaz (head of MIFA): MIFA is also adapting to the situation and will keep most of its content and network events. As with the festival, when COVID-19 forced us to stay at home, most of the content had already been selected. It was essential for us to find a way to show this to the animation community.

The launch sessions of MIFA and the focus sessions on the launch area will be scheduled starting from June 15th. The creators of the project will be asked to pre-register its launch, which will be online from June 16 and will be available for two weeks until June 30. You will benefit from one-to-one online sessions with professionals. The MIFA campus will be maintained and open to all, with around 15 sessions of training sessions, panels or meetings with artists.

Networking events will also be held for most of them: "Meet the…" with festival programmers, editors and music composers will be held online, with pre-arranged individual meetings. Buyers will benefit from regular "Share with" sessions, with two options: one-to-one meetings or pre-arranged 30 minute meetings. live sessions with questions and answers. Focus sessions on industrial territory / MIFA special events / Press conferences will include pre-recorded panels and live presentations with questions and answers.

And to meet the needs of all professionals around the world who seek visibility and contacts, virtual stands are offered to all companies registered with MIFA, offering them the opportunity to collect content and get in direct contact via live chat with connected professionals. . .

How to stay healthy and inspired during the quarantine period in France?

MM: I have a lot of work to do, but I also have a family and being locked up with my kids and my wife is a great opportunity too. In the last few years I have traveled a lot and the children are growing up very fast… It's nice to be with them.

MJ: I'm a resident of Canada, so I can't tell you about France. However, I have so much work with the online festival organization that I don't suffer much from quarantine. The days go by so quickly ...

Do you see a positive side in all this?

MM: I think it could be good for team spirit. We are facing a crisis together. I feel solidarity between the different services. In the end we will be a stronger team.

MJ: When I was appointed artistic director eight years ago, I wanted to create an Annecy Online. I never really had the time or the means to do it. Now I'm feeling something.

Have you seen an animated short film that perfectly reflects what we are going through all over the world?

MJ: Absolutely! Empty seats, by Geoffroy de Crécy. Take part in the competition for short films.