Animation First: French Animation Festival Returns To New York This February
Animation First 2020 will continue to celebrate France's rich tradition as an animation pioneer and showcase "the vast history, enduring ingenuity, and diversity of France’s renowned animation studios and schools. " This year's line-up will feature 15 premieres, award-winning features and shorts filmmaker panels and immersive exhibits, VR and video game demonstrations and more.
The festival will open with The Bears’ Famous Invasion of Sicily, the feature debut from noted illustrator and graphic novelist Lorenzo Mattotti, adapted from the beloved Children's book by Dino Buzzati. Guest of honor Jean-François Laguionie's new film The Prince's Voyage will get its US premiere, along with screenings of his past films Louise By The Shore, The Painting and his debut feature Gwen And The Book Of Sand, in a newly restored print. He will also present a work in progress of his upcoming film Slocum, and will conduct a masterclass with students at the Pratt Institute and the School of Visual Arts in conjunction with the festival.
Following an exclusive work-in-progress preview at last year's festival, the finished version of The Swallows Of Kabul will screen, and Anca Damian's Marona's Fantastic Tale will receive its New York Premiere.
There will also be a variety of shorts, including the annual screening of this year's Cesar Nominated Shorts. Other events will include a presentation from Benjamin Massoubre on I Lost My Body, previews of upcoming feature Mars Express from Lastman director Jérémie Périn and a Women In Animation panel featuring Anca Damian, writer Anik Leray, and producer Valérie Schermann.
For full program details and to book visit the FIAF website.
2020 FIAF Animation First Festival Trailer from FIAF on Vimeo.
