Last year for the first time the Annecy International Animation Festival was forced to cancel its in-person event ( I don't need to tell you why) and replaced it with an online-only event. This year the festival is planning a hybrid event that will feature both in-person and online events. Last year opened up the festival to people who otherwise would not have been able to attend, so the option being available again will be welcome.
The festival has already announced the selection for this years' in completion shorts, TV films and graduation films and the VR selection. The work in progress sessions are the next to be revealed.
The WIP sessions are always a hugely popular part of the festival, as they offer attendees a chance to get a preview films and series currently in production. This year's selection will be accessible both on-site for those local to the area and remotely for everyone else.
This year's festival will run from June 14 -19 and accreditations are available now. Online access starts at €16.67 (around $20.00/ £14.40) plus VAT.
Work in Progress Sessions
Ascenders
A VR experience from Jonathan Astruc, putting you in the shoes of a slave attempting to escape.
The Peasants
Loving Vincent co-director Darota Kobelia returns with an adaptation of the polish novel Chlopi (The Peasants) animated using the same technique as her Oscar-nominated debut.
Fena: Pirate Princess
Anime series co-produced by Production IG, Crunchyroll and Adult Swim. Kazuto Nakazawa directs this series of pirates pitted against their natural enemy, the ninja.
Immersion: Integrated Nature
Immersive VR/ augmented reality experience featuring a river bank viewable from all angles.
The Siren
Sephideh Farsi's French/German/Belgian/Luxembourg thriller set in 1980 at the height of the Iran/Iraq war. 14-year-old Omid tries to lead his loved ones to safety amid an Iraqi assault on the Iranian city Abadan.
Little Nicholas
2D animated feature adapted from and inspired by the French comic La Petit Nicolas book that was written by Asterix co-creator René Goscinny.
Mars Express
French 2D sci-fi mystery feature from Last Man creator Jeremie Perin.
Maya And The Three
Jorge Guiterrez's much anticipated mesoamerican fantasy epic event series for Netflix.
Nayola
European drama feature following three generations of a family. caught up in Angola's civil war
Perlimps
Brazilian family hand-drawn fantasy feature, director
Ale Abreu's follow up to his Oscar-nominated
Boy And The World.
Princess Dragon
French family fantasy about a girl raised by Dragons produced by Ankama (MFKZ, Wakfu).
Robin Robin
Aardman Animation's stop-motion Christmas special/ heist flick for Netflix from Aardman-newbies Mikey Please and Dan Ojari.
Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles.
Action comedy adapted from the iconic anthropomorphic samurai comics Dark Horse series by Stan Saki.
Blind Willow, Weeping Woman
Adult animated drama feature adapted from books by acclaimed Japanese author Haruki Murakami, directed by Pierre Foldes.
The House
Dark stop-motion comedy from Nexus Studios directed by Emma de Swaef and Marc Roels, Niki Lindroth von Bahr and BAFTA-winner Paloma Baeza.
Unicorn Wars
Birdboy director
Alberto Vasquez returns with a bizarre 2D feature for adults featuring a bloody war between Unicorns and teddy bears.
