New artistic director Michel Jean reveals his first edition at the helm.

France’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival unveiled on Tuesday evening [23] the line-up for its 37th edition, running from Jun 10-15.

As previously announced [Apr 12], the festival will open with Pixar’s Monsters University – a prequel to Monsters Inc. charting Mike and Sulley’s college days.

The eight competition titles include Spanish filmmaker Fernando Cortizo’s The Apostle, South African safari animation Khumba [pictured] by Anthony Silverston and a rare Brazilian contender, Rio 2096: A Story Of Love And Fury, from Luiz Bolognesi.

This year’s edition is the first under the artistic directorship of Canadian producer, director and author Marcel Jean, who replaced Serge Bromberg last June who left to focus on producing.

First innovations under Jean’s tenure include the introduction of an honourary Special Cristal Award, which this year will go to Polish Animator Jerzy Kucia.

Kucia’s work – which includes Tuning The Instruments – will be at the heart of a programme devoted to animation from Poland, which is Annecy’s honourary country this year.

Jean has also introduced two sidebars: Animation Off-Limits, aimed at innovative work, and a section called Resistance for socially and politically engaged fare.

“Animation Off-Limits will look at all that is innovative, new,” said Jean. “It will be a mixture of recent and older films.”

The first edition of the sidebar will open with Cochemare, the latest film from Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, the duo behind the Oscar-nominated short Madame Tutli Putli.

The festival’s popular work in progress section, meanwhile, will feature a presentation by DreamWorks Animation on its upcoming How To Train Your Dragon 2. This is the first time the studio has participated in the event.

The festival’s International Animation Film Market Mifa will run from Jun 12-14. As in previous years, it will combine a market, conferences and networking events as well as the Carrefour De La Creation recruitment fair.

Market chief Mickaël Marin said the territory focuses this year would be Poland, Russia, South Africa and Britain. 

FEATURE-LENGTH COMPETITION

  • My Mommy Is In America And She Met Buffalo Bill, Marc Boreal and Thibaut Chatel (France)
  • Arjun, The Warrior Prince, Arnab Chaudhuri (India)
  • The Apostle, Fernando Cortizo (Spain)
  • Jasmine, Alain Ughetto (France)
  • Berserk Golden Age Arc II: The Battle For Doldrey, Toshiyuki Kubooka (Japan)
  • Khumba, Anthony Silverston (South Africa)
  • Rio 2096: A Story Of Love And Fury, Luiz Bolognesi (Brazil)
  • Legends Of Oz: Dorothy’s Return, Daniel St Pierre, William Finn (US)
  • Pinocchio, Enzo d’Alo (Italy)

OUT OF COMPETITION

  • The Legend Of Sarila, Nancy Savard (Canada
  • Aya De Yopougon, Marguerite Abouet, Clément Oubrerie (France)
  • The Snow Queen (Snezhnaya Koroleva), Maxim Sveshnikov, Vladlen Barbe (Russia)
  • The Life Of Guskou Budori, Gisaburo Sugii, (Japan)
  • Patema Inverted, Yasuhiro Yoshiura (Japan)
  • Consuming Elements, Christopher Sullivan (US)
  • Buratino’s Return, Ekaterina Mikhailova (Russia)
  • It’s Such A Beautiful Day, Don Hertzfeldt (US)
  • One Piece Film Z, Tatsuya Nagamine, Tatsuya Nagamine (Japan))
  • Blood-C: The Last Dark, Naoyoshi Shiotani (Japan)
  • El Santos Vs. La Tetona Mendoza, Alejandro Lozano (Mexico)
  • Tito On Ice, Max Andersson, Helena Ahonen (Sweden)
  • Persistence Of Vision, Kevin Schreck (US)

WORKS IN PROGRESS

  • How To Train Your Dragon 2, DreamWorks Animation (US), Dean Dublois (US)
  • Solan And Ludvig’s Christmas, Maipo Film (Sweden), Rasmus A. Sivertson
  • Mune, Onyx Films, Orange Studio (France), Alexandre Heboyan, Benoit Philippon
  • Another Day Of Life, Platige Images (Poland), Kanaku (Spain) Raul de la Fuente, Damian Nenow
  • The Prince And The 108 Demons, Same Player, Kayenta (France), Fundamental (China), Scope Pictures (Belgium) Bidibul Productions (Luxembourg), Pascal Morelli
  • Loulou, L’incroyable Secret, Prima Linea Productions (France), Belvision (Belgium), Eric Omond, Gregoire Solotareff
  • Cheatin, Plymptons (US), Bill Plympton
  • Song Of The Sea, Cartoon Salon (Ireland), Studio 352 (Luxembourg), The Big Farm (Belgium), Superprod (France), Norlum (Denmark), Tomm Moore.

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