Led by France and Japan, the packed, wide-ranging lineup of the 2026 Annecy Animation Film Festival hardly hints at the rampant market crisis suffered by much of animation production worldwide.
“We’ve heard of course about a crisis in the animation industry,” Annecy artistic director Marcel Jean told Variety. “But when you look at the selection this year, you don’t see the crisis at all. Of course, there’s a gap between the moment of impact and production schedules, and what we screen this year was greenlit three-to-four years ago. But if you look at the selection, there’s films from all over the world.”
Indeed, Annecy’s official selection, which is dedicated to new releases, includes no fewer than 44 feature films this year, with 14 French films and 26 countries represented in the selection.
“The Asian market is also very interesting,” continued Jean. “Beyond Japan, it’s Korea, Philippines… eight Asian countries including China, which has itself an absolutely incredible evolution. They were already excellent, but Chinese artists and producers have put an emphasis on relatable storytelling, and we can sense the switch in the markets they target as well.”
Adding to a very rich competitive selection, Jean announced that the Contrechamp section would have its own opening screening this year, a few hours before the Festival’s official opening: the Taiwanese rotoscope film “Welcome to Dolly’s House” screened in Annecy’s Bonlieu Grande Salle on Sunday June 21 at 1.30 pm.
Below, the 22 features (eleven in each section with a strong French presence, as six of the 11 films vying for the Cristal are French productions or co-productions) from the feature film and Contrechamp sections are listed and put within context, with quotes from Jean explaining why they were selected, followed by Mickaël Marin’s additional insights on the Cité de l’Animation, and MIFA Highlights by Véronique Encrenaz.
Honorary Cristals, the list of WIPs, and the shorts & TV/commissioned films selections have already been announced these past weeks.
2026 Feature Film Competition
“Viva Carmen!”, Sébastien Laudenbach (France)
Presented as a work-in-progress last year, “Viva Carmen!’ is “An animated adaptation of the most French of Spanish stories, by Laudenbach, a festival regular who has already scooped several awards,” said Jean. In 2016, Laudenbach’s “The Girl Without Hands” received the Jury Prize at Annecy; his second feature (co-directed with Chiara Malta) “Chicken for Linda!” scored the Annecy top Cristal for best feature and went on to win the César for animated feature.
“Iron Boy”, Louis Clichy (France, Belgium)
From Pixar alum and “Asterix” co-director Louis Clichy comes “a story full of nuance, both in tone and aesthetics. Louis Clichy takes us into the French countryside and reminds us that Stéphanie of Monaco was once a singer.” Also presented as a WIP last year, “Iron Boy” will premiere at Cannes, as part of the Un Certain Regard selection.
“Decorado”, Alberto Vazquez (Spain, Portugal)
Alberto Vázquez, another festival regular, is competing in the official feature film competition for the third time. This tale of a rebellious unemployed mouse has already won a Goya. Vázquez’s eponymous short “Decorado” was nominated for an Annecy Cristal in 2016, and won the Goya for best animated short film.
‘Decorado’
“The Sunrise File”, Rupert Wyatt, Émilie Phuong (France, Luxemburg)
A very singular feature, “The Sunrise File” recalls how nazi hunters Serge and Beate Klarsfeld tracked down and brought Klaus Barbie to justice. “Featuring strong ethical questions as the couple faced secret services who preferred execution to prosecution, ‘The Sunrise File’ is a powerful film that makes you ask the question: Is it justice or revenge one seeks?”
“In Waves”, Phuong Mai Nguyen (France, Belgium)
“An adaptation of A.J. Dungo’s acclaimed graphic novel, ‘In Waves’ tells the story of the author’s love affair with Kristen, a young surfer who died before her time.” Presented as an Annecy WIP last year, the film opens Cannes’ Critics’ Week before heading to Annecy.
“Lucy Lost”, Olivier Clert (France)
“The entry in the official competition is an adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s novel, ‘Listen to the Moon,’ which is set in southern England in the early 20th century, where a young girl taken in by a local family is haunted by strange visions. It is undoubtedly the most family-friendly film in the Annecy Festival 2026 official competition,” which will also make its premiere at Cannes.
“Nobody”, Shui Yu (China)
“The first of the two Chinese films in the competition, ‘Nobody’ reaches Annecy on the heels of winning a dozen awards and drawing huge crowds in its home country. In this relatable tale, we follow a curious quartet of animal-demons on their comical and sometimes moving adventures.” The film is part of Annecy’s focus on genre animated films, ranging from horror Midnight Specials to family-friendly international comedies.
“Tana”, Ji Zhao, Ke Er Zhu (China)
“The second Chinese film in official competition offers a welcome change from the numerous films drawing on local mythology. This is a more contemporary work, in which a young woman leaves Shanghai to be at her father’s bedside in Inner Mongolia. The bonds between parent and child, and a love of music, lie at the heart of this touching film, whose credits feature several of the creative minds behind ‘The White Snake,’ screened at Annecy in 2019.”
“Tangles”, Leah Nelson (Canada, U.S.)
“Directed by Canadian Leah Nelson, ‘Tangles’ is a contemporary story in which a young woman is forced to move back in with her parents to care for her mother suffering from Alzheimer’s disease,” said a very enthusiastic Marcel Jean. Made in Vancouver, “Tangles” is co-produced by Seth Rogen’s Point Grey Pictures.
“The Violinist”, Ervin Han, Raúl Garcia (Singapore, Spain, Italy)
“An unusual co-production between Singapore, Spain and Italy, ‘The Violinist’ is a classic-style war epic in the classical sense, both epic and melodramatic, driven by a powerful screenplay and spectacular direction.” A very good surprise,” according to Jean.
“We Are Aliens”, Kohei Kadowaki (Japan, France)
“A Franco-Japanese co-production revolving around the reunion, after 30 years, of two childhood friends,” this new feature marks yet another successful French-Japanese co-production by French Indie studio Miyu Productions, following the success of “Ghost Cat Anzu” and “A New Dawn” which premiered at Berlin last February and is also present at Annecy in the Contrechamp competition.
Contrechamp:
“58th”, Carl Joseph Papa (Philippines)
For his third time selected at Annecy, Papa brings a feature-length non-fiction animation film which recounts the 2009 Maguindanao massacre. “Animated documentary is the field where Carl Joseph Papa is most comfortable,”says Jean. Papa’s last appearance at Annecy was in 2024, with “The Missing,” selected also in the Contrechamp section.
“A New Dawn”, Yoshitoshi Shinomiya (Japan, France)
Following its appearance in Berlinale Competition, “A New Dawn” boasts a sterling reputation and Miyu aura as well. Trained as a painter in the traditional Japanese style, Shynomiya started his career in animation collaborating on films including Makoto Shinkai’s “Your Name” and Sunao Katabuchi’s “In This Corner of the World”. Variety met with Shinomiya in Berlin earlier this year.
“Blaise”, Dimitri Planchon, Jean-Paul Guigue (France)
“This feature takes the characters we got to know in the 2016 eponymous Arte series to a whole new level. Blaise is now 16 and is still just as introverted as ever.” Another strong yet peculiar French project, “Blaise” is part of ACID’s selection.
“O filho da puta”, Érica Maradona, Otto Guerra, Tania Anaya, Sávio Leite (Brazil)
“From Brazil comes ‘O filho da puta’, I’ll let you figure out the translation,” joked Jean. “With four co-directors on board, including Tania Anaya who presented ‘Nimuendajú’ last year in Annecy, the film tells the story of Ismael, whose mother runs a brothel, as he sets off in search of his father and the ocean.”
“Muyi and the Handsome General,” by Julien Chheng (France)
“The film, produced by renowned French Studio La Cachette, whisks us away to China, where the young Mu Yi causes havoc by inviting a travelling theatre troupe to her village.” A bold and empowering tale already presented at Cannes’ Annecy Animation Showcase, “Mu Yi” has the potential to charm both critics and animation fans alike.
“Pelelui: Guernica of Paradise,” Goro Kuji (Japan)
“Kuji’s film transports us to Micronesia in 1944, where Tamaru is assigned to write fictitious heroic accounts to be sent to the families of soldiers killed in action. A beautiful film, whose deceptive visual style might lead you to believe it is a story intended for children, yet one that actually tackles the cruelty and violence of a neglected episode of the Pacific War.” A film that stuck with Jean, for the audacity of its artistic and narrative choices.
“Spacetime Chronicles”, Stefano Bertelli (Italy)
“Coming from Italy, this film and its surrealist style, along with its DIY approach bring to mind Michel Gondry and his dream films.” Relying on bricolage, this papercraft stop-motion is, per Jean, “a genuine technical masterpiece.”
‘Spacetime Chronicles’
“The Obsessed”, Wataru Takahashi (Japan)
“A spirited, colorful, light-hearted, musical and lyrical romantic tale. An original film that stands out amid the Japanese film industry with a very singular aesthetic that does not look like what you’d expect from this kind of Japanese story.”
“The Orbit of Minor Satellites”, Christopher Sullivan (Japan)
Co-produced with New Deer, a Japanese company, “The Orbit of Minor Satellites” marks the long awaited return of U.S. indie filmmaker Chris Sullivan, who came to Annecy back in 2013 with “Consuming Spirits.” “This new proposition is an unconventional film that weaves together live-action shots and animation to explore the relationship between a patient and his psychiatrist. A very strange film, a sort of UFO in the animation production world.”
“Winnipeg, Seeds of Hope”, Beñat Beitia, Elio Quiroga (Spain, Chile, Argentina)
“Set during the Spanish Civil War in 1939 as Franco’s forces capture Barcelona, the film tells the tale of the survivors who manage to embark on the Winnipeg, a cargo ship chartered by Pablo Neruda, bound for Valparaíso.” A ship of hope and a powerful tale, marking also the return of a strong Basque animation industry to Annecy after “Sultana’s Dream” and along with “Decorado.”
“Welcome to Dolly’s House”, Seven Ych, Rady Fu, Tree Muta (Taiwan)
Rounding off this section, the opening film, ‘Welcome to Dolly’s House’, follows YouTuber Princess Maria who, after a scandalous post, finds herself drawn into a haunted mansion and the secrets of her own identity. “Aesthetically very refined, it masterfully plays on the conventions of fantasy. Since I saw the first,” confessed Jean, “I look forward to ‘Welcome to Dolly’s House 2.”
The Animation Institute: A dream come true
For Mickaël Marin, CEO of Annecy Festival organizer CITIA, the new Animation International Institute was a dream, and yet it became reality. “Starting June 19, Annecy will have a permanent space to screen movies, welcome artists, host exhibitions and delight guests from all over the globe. It’s a recognition not only for Annecy, but also for animation as a medium and an industry.”
Thanking the Institute’s many financing partners, Marin added that opening the Cité with both French (Ankama) and U.S. (Laika) major studios was a real pleasure, and a mirror of what the teams wanted to achieve in the future. “From major studios to independent productions, from big to small, known talents and singular artists, everyone will feel welcome here.”
MIFA to host European Animation Summit, questioning industry and models
“It’s a special year, a very questioning moment for the animation industry”, underlined Head of MIFA Véronique Encrenaz. “With events like Kidscreen disappearing, we have to face the question: ‘what are we here for, and what is the industry facing?’ We have to take our part in the discussion of where animation is now, and where are the revolutions coming from.”
AI and Private Investment will both be at the center of the stage this year at MIFA’s, which will have a pre-opening on Monday dedicated to private workshops, safe spaces and knowledge-sharing and a “European Animation Summit,” to tackle today’s challenges in the European and global animation industry.
Annecy Presents and Midnight Specials complete a notably rich slate
“Created in 2024, the Annecy Presents section is designed to offer festival-goers films with broad appeal, such as mainstream cinema designed for families or Japanese anime. This year, 15 films are in contention for the Annecy Presents Audience Award,” said Marcel Jean.
Belgian production “Yugly” opens the Annecy Presents section on Sunday afternoon, with European family-friendly films like “Monster Mia” or “The Last Whale Singer” accompanying anime (“The Ribbon Hero,” “Chimney Town: Frozen in Time”) and a long-awaited premiere of “Julian,” Cartoon Saloon’s latest gem.
When the sun goes down, animation hardcore fans will be treated with wacky sci-fi comedies (“Soul Shift”), low budget indie thrillers (“Gregor”) and violent Japanese sword fights (“Sekiro: No Defeat”) as part of Annecy’s very popular Midnight Specials.
Full line-up includes:
Annecy Presents:
“Brave Cat”, Gabriel Osorio (Chile)
“Julian”, Louise Bagnall (Ireland)
“Born in the Jungle”, Edmunds Jansons (Latvia, Poland, Czech Republic)
“Dante,” Linda Hamback (Sweden, Denmark, Norway)
“On the Other Side of the World,” Yusuke Hirota (Japan)
“Dudley and the Invasion of the Space Slugs,” Cherifa Bakhti (Luxemburg, Belgium, France, India)
“The Ribbon Hero,” Yuki Igarashi (Japan)
“The Girl in the Clouds,” Philippe Riche (France, Belgium)
“The Legend of the Golden Buffalo,” Tranh Lam Tung (Vietnam)
“The Last Whale Singer,” Reza Memari (Germany, Czech Republic, Canada)
“Monster Mia,” Verena Fels (Austria, Spain, Germany)
“Samurai Ballerina,” Goro Tanigushi (Japan)
“The Keeper of the Camphor Tree,” Tomohiko Ito (Japan)
“Yugly,” Yanis Belaid, Jérémie Degruson (Belgium)
Midnight Specials:
“Company Sports Day,” Yong-Seon Lee (South Korea)
“Gregor,” Manu Gomez (Belgium, France)
“Sekiro: No Defeat,” Kenichi Kutsuna (Japan)
“Soul Shift,” Christian Franz Schmidt (Germany)
“Zsazsa Zaturnnah,” Avid Liongoren (Philippines, France)
The 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival runs over June 21-27.
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