The fifth anniversary of Animation First, the only film festival in the US dedicated to shining a light on the enduring ingenuity of French animation and its diverse representation of international artists, studios and schools returns to French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) in person with an exciting lineup of programs from Friday, February 11 to Sunday, February 13. For the first time, the festival will also continue online with exclusive content from Monday, February 14 to Monday, February 21.
This year’s highlights include 51 premieres, provoking feature-length films, exciting shorts, immersive exhibits, video game demonstrations, panels with leading animators, and much more.
The festival’s first female Guest of Honor, Florence Miailhe, will present the NY premiere of her magnificent first feature, The Crossing, along with an in-depth discussion and a program of her short films. Closing Night is the exclusive screening of The Summit of the Gods (Le Sommet des dieux) directed by Patrick Imbert .
In conjunction with the Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibit Inspiring Walt Disney: The Animation of French Decorative Arts, the festival will also take a deeper look at the cultural connection between the two countries with a panel discussion on how the world of Walt Disney inspired French animation.
Animation First 2022 will also feature several anticipated Works in Progress, a student shorts competition with the most renowned animation schools in the US and in France, conversations with award-winning filmmakers, and interactive workshops. Engaging augmented and virtual reality programs, along with video game exhibits, will be available for free to the general public throughout the festival weekend in the FIAF Gallery.
A note from Animation First’s curators Delphine Selles-Alvarez and Catherine Lamairesse: “The 5th anniversary of Animation First promises to be another edition full of discoveries and wonder for all audiences. We are thrilled to welcome Florence Miailhe, a fiercely independent filmmaker, to celebrate her first feature film, The Crossing. Throughout the festival, women will occupy a place of choice with New French Shorts, a panel on mid-career professionals, and Best of Annecy’s first-ever shorts program celebrating female directors. A spotlight on emerging talent is also an important component of the program with our second annual US & French Student Short Film Competition, Fresh Out of School shorts program, and a focus on Jean-Charles Mbotti-Malolo, among others. Lastly, as evident from the subjects of several films in this year’s selection, migration, displacement, discrimination, and equity emerge as essential topics. This reflects these artists’ desire to grapple with these important topics, as well as our desire to engage US audiences on these subject matters. In the hand of these talented filmmakers, animation provides a powerful medium to convey their concerns, combining poetry, tenderness and sensitivity with force and a sense of urgency.”
GUEST OF HONOR: FLORENCE MIAILHE
Opening Film: The Crossing (La Traversée)
Dir. Florence Miailhe
2021, 84 min, Ages 11 & up
In French with English subtitles
NY Premiere
On a migratory road, two older children, Kyona and Adriel, are quickly separated from their parents and siblings. Together they embark on a heroic journey which takes them from childhood to adolescence through a continent torn apart by war and persecution. In search of shelter, peace, and the hope of finding refuge and family, these courageous siblings survive incredible challenges before reaching a new world. Based on her grandmother’s own story, Florence Miailhe’s first feature is a tale that offers an emotional look at immigration that will move audiences of all ages. Her use of animated painting with flamboyant colors, a rarely used technique, is simply dazzling.
Spotlight on Florence Miailhe
1993-2013, 84 min, Matures Audiences
In French with English subtitles
US and NY Premieres
Over the course of her three-decade career in animation, Florence Miailhe has created a precious body of award-winning short films before directing her first feature film, The Crossing. Her artistry shows through her use of pastels, sand, and paint directly under the camera. Her richly picturesque films often explore subjects like femininity, the human body, and desire.
Conversation with Florence Miailhe
Florence Miailhe discusses the inspiration behind her carefully crafted and deeply poetic films. Throughout her career, Miailhe has hand-painted or hand-drawn each frame to create deeply textured and vividly animated characters and sets. She will discuss the making of her first feature The Crossing, her creative process throughout an unusual career, and her sources of inspiration.
FEATURE FILMS
IN PERSON AT FIAF
Opening Film: The Crossing (La Traversée)
Dir. Florence Miailhe
2021, 84 min, Ages 13 & up
In French with English subtitles
NY Premiere
See film description above under Guest of Honor section.
Closing Film: The Summit of the Gods (Le Sommet des dieux)
Dir. Patrick Imbert
2021, 94 min, Ages 13 & up
In French with English subtitles
FIAF is pleased to bring back to the big screen, The Summit of the Gods by Patrick Imbert, an adaptation of the famous manga by Jira Taniguchi. The story initially unfolds as a mystery: were George Mallory and his companion Andrew Irvine the first men to scale Everest on June 8, 1924? Only the little Kodak VPK camera found in Kathmandu, 70 years later, can reveal the truth. But soon, following the path, a young Japanese journalist Fukamachi enters the world of obsessive mountaineers, on a journey that leads him, step by step, towards the Summit of the Gods. Spectacular and emotional, this film is “an ode to extreme climbers “ (IGN). Special thanks to Netflix.
Princess Dragon (Princesse Dragon)
Dir. Anthony Roux and Jean-Jacques Denis
2021, 74 min, Ages 5 & up
In French with English subtitles
US Premiere
Bristle is a little girl raised by dragons. She breathes fire and is as strong as ten men, yet she is not actually a dragon. When her father must repay a debt to Sorcerog, Bristle is given away to the froggy witch. Driven to despair, she flees the family cave and embarks on a journey of discovery into the world of humans. Among them, she will learn the meaning of friendship and solidarity—and greed, which seems to eat away at humans’ hearts. With the help of her new friend Princess, Bristle will take on the greedy King to save her father. From the unexpected duo Anthony ‘Tot’ Roux and Jean-Jacques Denis (Dofus, Mutafukaz), Princess Dragon bristles with lush watercolor landscapes.
My Sunny Maad (Ma famille Afghane)
Dir. Michaela Pavlátová
2021, 85 min, Mature Audiences
In Czech and Dari with English subtitles
NY Premiere
Golden Globes 2022 – Nominated for Best Motion Picture – Animated
In 2011, Helena, a young Czech student, decides to leave everything behind for love to follow Nazir, her soon-to-be husband, to post-Taliban Kabul. She soon experiences the upheavals of her new Afghan family on a daily basis. Using her perspective as a European woman, she attempts to assimilate in a community torn between cultural and generational differences, national pride and modernity. Her life is shaken by the arrival of Maad, an orphan who will challenge everything she has ever known. With gorgeous 2D animation, great texture and depth, Michaela Pavlátová’s first film offers a penetrating observation of a woman who wants to save her relationship while challenging oppressive rules and traditions.
My Neighbors’ Neighbors (Les voisins de mes voisins sont mes voisins)
Dir. Léo Marchand, Annelaure Daffis
2021, 85 min, Mature Audiences
In French with English subtitles
US Premiere
In a French apartment building, the inhabitants seem to be dealing with the strangest hazards of life: an ogre breaks his teeth on the day of the annual Ogre Feast; a magician cuts his assistant in half and her legs run off; a hiker and his dog spend days stuck in the elevator and an old man falls in love with a pair of legs… Life is complicated, incongruous and nutty in My Neighbors’ Neighbors. A truly imaginative animated film about the intertwined destinies of these unusual neighbors and their neighbors’ neighbors.
Little Vampire (Petit Vampire)
Dir. Joann Sfar
2021, 85 min, Ages 6 & up
In French with English subtitles
US Premiere
Little Vampire has been 10-years-old for the last 300 years. Despite living in a haunted house with a merry group of monsters, he is bored to death. His dream? Going to school to meet other kids. Unfortunately, his parents won’t let him leave the mansion because they believe the outside world is way too dangerous! Accompanied by his trusted bulldog Phantomato, Little Vampire secretly sneaks out on a quest for new friends. With great generosity, tenderness and humor, Joan Sfar (The Rabbi’s Cat) brings to life the beloved Little Vampire, star of his eponymous graphic novel.
Beauty and the Beast
Dir. Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise
1991, 85 min, Ages 8 & up
In English
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the film’s theatrical release, FIAF is proud to bring The Beauty and the Beast back to the big screen! An arrogant young prince and his castle’s servants fall under the spell of a wicked enchantress, who turns him into a hideous Beast until he learns to love and be loved in return. The spirited, headstrong village girl Belle enters the Beast’s castle after he imprisons her father. With the help of his enchanted servants, including the matronly Mrs. Potts, Belle begins to draw the cold hearted Beast out of his isolation. Shown in conjunction with The Met Museum’s current exhibit Inspiring Walt Disney.
Archipelago (Archipel)
Dir. Félix Dufour-Laperrière
2021, 72 min, Mature Audiences
In French with English subtitles
NY Premiere
Félix Dufour-Laperrière’s Archipelago offers a contemplative and poetic travelogue along the St. Lawrence River. It expands into a semi-fictional odyssey through the filmmaker’s native province: Quebec, captured in surprising, creative animation using a wide range of techniques. It is an imaginary documentary—linguistic, political, real, and dreamt. Archipelago is a film made of drawings and speeches to tell the story of its inhabitants.
ONLINE NATIONWIDE
The Bears’ Famous Invasion of Sicily (La Fameuse invasion de ours en Sicile)
Dir. Lorenzo Mattotti
2019, 82 min, Ages 6 & up
In French with English subtitles
Inspired by the 1945 classic Italian children’s book by Dino Buzzati, acclaimed Italian illustrator Lorenzo Mattotti brings bold colors and a graphic eye to his first feature film, a tale about friendship, tolerance, and nature. When Tonio, a bear prince, is kidnapped by hunters in the mountains of Sicily, his father—the king—sends his subjects down to the plains inhabited by men to search for his son as well as find food for the winter. Faced with the bears’ invasion, the men fight back but are unable to overcome their tenacity, helped by a little bit of magic. Tonio is found, but decides to stay in the land of men where bears have to learn to coexist with human mores. Produced by the team behind The Red Turtle, adapted by award-winning screenwriter Thomas Bidegain (A Prophet), and voiced by such luminaries as Jean-Claude Carrière and Leïla Bekhti.
The Tower (Wardi)
Dir. Mats Grorud
2017, 80 min, Ages 13 & up
In Arabic and French with English subtitles
NY Premiere
Wardi, an 11-year-old Palestinian girl, lives with her whole family in a refugee camp in Lebanon. There, she learns about her family’s history through stories told by three generations of refugees. Her beloved great-grandfather Sidi was one of the first people to settle in the camp after being chased from his home in Galilee in 1948. Sidi gives her the key to his old house back home, and she fears that he may have lost hope of someday going back. As she searches for Sidi’s lost home, she collects her family’s testimonies, from one generation to the next. Using puppets to show daily life in the camps and 2-D animation for flashbacks, director Mats Grorud offers a vivid portrait of occupation and displacement rarely represented in animation.
SHORTS
IN PERSON AT FIAF
Best of Annecy 2021
74 min, Mature Audiences
US and NY Premieres
The Annecy International Animation Film Festival is the biggest animated film festival in the world. Every year it brings animation lovers from around the globe to discover the latest animated gems, current and future trends, and meet filmmakers and creators. Straight from the 2021 edition and curated by the festival team, this program includes a series of notable award-winning shorts. The program is book-ended by two sequences directed by second-year students from the Gobelins, l’École de l’Image.
– Collection Capsule Dir. Matis Chéné, Yuha Cho, Lou Dhelens, Angèle Legras, Delaly Guy Corneille Tchocodo, Niels Turelier; 2021, 1 min
– Boxballet Dir. Anton Dyakov; 2020, 15 min
– Hold Me Tight Dir. Mélanie Robert-Tourneur; 2021, 6 min
– Easter Eggs Dir. Nicolas Keppens; 2021, 14 min
– Affairs of the Art Dir. Joanna Quinn; 2021, 16 min
– Butterfly Jam (La Confiture de papillons) Dir. Shih-Yen Huang; 2021, 6 min
– Peel (Ecorce) Dir. Samuel Patthey, Silvain Monney; 2020, 15 min
– Le parc Dir. Adrien Dang, Clémence Collignon, Mathieu Giazzi, Céline Korno, Julien Motteau; 2021, 1 min
Spotlight on Florence Miailhe
84 min, Matures Audiences
US and NY Premieres
Over the course of her three-decade career in animation, Florence Miailhe has created a precious body of award-winning short films before directing her first feature film, The Crossing. Her artistry shows through her use of pastels, sand, and paint directly under the camera. Her richly picturesque films often explore subjects including femininity, the human body, and desire.
– A Summer Night Rendez-vous (Au premier dimanche d’août) Dir. Florence Miailhe; 2020, 11 min
– Urban Tale (Conte de quartier) Dir. Florence Miailhe; 2015; 6 min
– Hammam Dir. Florence Miailhe; 1991, 9 min
– Texture of Dreams (Matières à rêver) Dir. Florence Miailhe; 2009, 6 min
– Meanders (Méandres) Dir. Florence Miailhe; 2013, 23 min
– Scheherazade (Schéhérazade) Dir. Florence Miailhe; 1993, 16 min
– 25, Passage des oiseaux Dir. Florence Miailhe; 2016, 4 min
Focus on Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolo
57 min films followed by a 30 minutes talk with filmmaker Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolo, Ages 11 & up
US and NY Premieres
Emerging filmmaker Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolo presents several short films, along with the US premiere of the first two episodes of his new series Ex-Aequo!, , which brings to life discrimination based on gender, race and disability in the sports arena. The full series will be shown online from Feb 14–21. Weaving his passion for dance and sports, Mbotti Malolo’s films offer powerful, sensitive, and insightful portraits and stories. Following the screening, Mbotti Malolo will discuss his work and his deep roots in hip hop culture and dance.
– The Heart is a Metronome (Le Cœur est un metronome) Dir. Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolo, 2007, 4 min
– The Sense of Touch (Le Sens du toucher) Dir. Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolo, 2014, 14 min
– Make it Soul Dir. Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolo, 2018, 15 min
– Ex-Aequo! Dir. Karine Chaunac, Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolo & Camille Duvelleroy, 2021, 10 min per episodes (2 episodes)
IN PERSON AND ONLINE
New French Shorts (Program 1 & 2)
2020 and 2021, Mature Audiences
US and NY Premieres
Straight from France, these two eclectic programs bring together films from established filmmakers as well as emerging talent. Each one opens up a unique world and speaks to the rich diversity of animation in France today. Audience members, in person and online, will be encouraged to vote for their favorite new French short. The winner will receive a prize provided by TitraFilm.
Program 1
– Anxious Body Dir. Yoriko Mizushiri, 2021, 6 min
– The World Within (Le Monde en soi) Dir. Sandrine Stoïanov, 2020, 17 min
– Flowing Home (Comme un Fleuve) Dir. Sandra Desmazières, 2021, 15 min
– Liza Dir. Bastien Dupriez; 2020, 2 min
– Mom Dir. Kajika Aki Ferrazzini; 2020, 9 min
– Noir-Soleil Dir. Marie Larrivé; 2020, 20 min
– Pests (Nuisibles) Dir. Juliette Laboria; 2020, 6 min
Program 2
– Self Scratch (Je me Gratte) Dir. Chenghua Yang, 2020, 9 min
– What Resonates in Silence (Ce qui résonne dans le silence) Dir. Marine Blin; 2020, 8 min
– Swallow the Universe Dir. Luis Nieto; 2021, 12 min
– Boobs (Lolos) Dir. Marie Valade; 2020, 7 min
– Maalbeek Dir. Ismaël Joffroy Chandoutis; 2020, 16 min
– Blue Fear (Filles bleues, Peur blanche) Dir. Marie Jacotey & Lola Halifa-Legrand; 2020, 10 min
– Night Watch (Ronde de Nuit) Dir. Julien Regnard; 2020, 12 min
ONLINE NATIONWIDE
Best of Annecy 2021: Spotlight on Women Directors
56 min, Mature Audiences
US and NY Premieres
This year, in collaboration with Women in Animation, the Annecy International Animation Film Festival’s team curated a selection of fantastic short films by women directors to show at their 2021 festival. Animation First is thrilled to bring these films to US audiences and put the spotlight on talented women filmmakers.
– No Leaders Please Dir. Joan C. Gratz; 2020, 2 min
– It Rains (Llueve) Dir. Carolina Corral Paredes, Magali Rocha Donnadieu, 2021, 11 min
– How to Be at Home Dir. Andrea Dorfman, 2020, 5 min
– What Resonates in Silence (Ce qui résonne dans le silence) Dir. Marine Blin; 2020, 8 min
– The Awakening of the Insects (Le Réveil des insectes) Dir. Stéphanie Lansaque, François Leroy, 2020, 14 min
– Affairs of the Art Dir. Joanna Quinn, 2021, 16 min
Fontevraud Presents
Each year, the International Residency for Animated Films at the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud puts a special emphasis on supporting young animators by bringing directors to the Loire Valley where they can nurture new projects. This program brings together shorts directed by this new generation of animators from all over the world, hosted by one of the most exciting incubators for animated film.
Fresh Out of School: Andrée Chedid (En sortant de l’école – collection Andrée Chedid)
39 min, Ages 10 & up
US Premieres
Fresh Out of School – Andrée Chedid is a collection of 13 animated short films showcasing the beloved French poet’s work. These animated poems were created by 13 young directors who have just graduated from the best animation schools. Previous Fresh Out of School collections focused on the works of Jacques Prévert, Robert Desnos, Guillaume Apollinaire, Paul Éluard, Claude Roy, Jean Tardieu and Paul Verlaine and were broadcast on French Television (France 3).
– Trails of the Morning (Épreuves du matin) Dir. Masa Avramovic, 3 min
– Destination: Tree (Destination : Arbre) Dir. Marie Deboissy, 3 min
– Who is Left Standing? (Qui reste debout ?) Dir. Jaimeen Desai, 3 min
– The Girls of the Wind (Les filles du vent) Dir. Heloïse Ferlay, 3 min
– The Laugh (Le rire) Dir. Capucine Gougelet, 3 min
– Tinkering (Bricolage) Dir. Salomé Hammann, 3 min
– Hungry (La fringale) Dir. Raphaëlle Martinez, 3 min
– The Seagulls (Les mouettes) Dir. Lara Mattelart, 3 min
– Vitality (Vitalité) Dir. Emilie Mereghetti, 3 min
– No Key to Poetry (Pas de clé à la poésie) Dir. Islena Neira, 3 min
– This Place (Ce lieu) Dir. Daniella Schnitzer, 3 min
– Looking at Childhood (Regarder l’enfance) Dir. Camille Scudier, 3 min
– Intervals (Intervalles) Dir. Mitchelle Tamariz, 3 min
Pictanovo Presents
109 min, Mature Audiences
US and NY Premieres
Pictanovo – Images en Hauts-de-France, dedicated to supporting audiovisual and film production in the Hauts-de-France region, is a respected breeding ground for animation studios. This program gathers some of the best animated shorts they have supported over the last decade.
– Roughhouse Dir. Jonathan Hodgson, 2018, 15 min
– Sororal (Sororelles) Dir. Frédéric Even, Louise Mercadier, 2021, 15 min
– The Ogre (L’ogre) Dir. Laurène Braibant, 2016, 10 min
– Madagascar, a Journey Diary (Madagascar, carnet de route) Dir. Bastien Dubois, 2012, 12 min
– Love patate Dir. Gilles Cuvelier, 2013, 13 min
– Mondo Domino Dir. Suki, 2021, 6 min
– Steakhouse Dir. Špela Čadež, 2021, 9 min
– Regarder Oana Dir. Sébastien Laundenbach, 2009, 15 min
US & French Student Short Film Competition
The Animation First Student Shorts Competition is back for its second edition! It features the work of emerging talent from some of the most renowned animation schools in France and the United States: Gobelins, l’École de l’Image (Paris, France), EMCA (Angoulême, France), École des Nouvelles Images (Avignon, France), RUBIKA (Valenciennes, France), California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) (California), Ringling College of Art and Design (Florida), School of Visual Arts (SVA NYC) (New York), and Savannah College of Art and Design SCAD (Georgia).
TV SPECIALS
IN PERSON AT FIAF
Mum is Pouring Rain and Mussels & Fries
54 min, Ages 8 & up▪ Mum is Pouring Rain (Maman Pleut des Cordes)
Dir. Hugo De Faucompret, 2021, 28 min
In French with English subtitles
NY Premiere
8-years-old Jane is a strong-minded girl. Her mother Cécile, however, is going through a little depression. She decides to get help, and sends Jane to spend Christmas with her grandmother, in the countryside. Jane leaves reluctantly: she has no friends there, and “Granny Onions” only ever cooks… onions (and they smell really bad…).
Mussels & Fries (Moules-Frites)
Dir. Nicolas Hu, 2021, 26 min
In French with English subtitles
US Premiere
Noée, a 9 year-old girl, joins her mother on an island in Brittany where she has found work as a waitress. Soon Noée discovers that all the children on the island know each other well and love sailing. Noée would like to join them but her mother doesn’t have enough money to pay for classes. How will Noée manage to sail and fit in?
Mum is Pouring Rain (Maman Pleut des Cordes)
Dir. Hugo De Faucompret, 2021, 28 min
In French with English subtitles
NY Premiere
8-years-old Jane is a strong-minded girl. Her mother Cécile, however, is going through a little depression. She decides to get help, and sends Jane to spend Christmas with her grandmother, in the countryside. Jane leaves reluctantly: she has no friends there, and “Granny Onions” only ever cooks… onions (and they smell really bad…).
Mussels & Fries (Moules-Frites)
Dir. Nicolas Hu, 2021, 26 min
In French with English subtitles
US Premiere
Noée, a 9 year-old girl, joins her mother on an island in Brittany where she has found work as a waitress. Soon Noée discovers that all the children on the island know each other well and love sailing. Noée would like to join them but her mother doesn’t have enough money to pay for classes. How will Noée manage to sail and fit in?
ONLINE NATIONWIDE
Ex-Aequo!
Dir. Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolo, Karine Chaunac & Camille Duvelleroy
Entire series, 10 episodes, 10 min each, Ages 11 & up
In French with English subtitles
Set over 10 minutes each and based on interviews with international athletes and sports professionals, Ex-Aequo! poignantly brings to life stories of discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, and disability. The series gives voice to those who want to be treated with equality. Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolo will present the first two episodes from Ex-Aequo!, along with a selection of his short films, in person at FIAF on Sun, Feb 13.
EXCLUSIVE WORKS IN PROGRESS AND TALKS
Work in Progress: Lastman – Season 2
With director Jérémie Hoarau
In English, 80 min
FIAF is thrilled to present a Work in Progress of the second season of cult TV series Lastman. Director Jérémie Hoarau will discuss the process behind this new season and the important changes he introduced. He will be joined, remotely from France, by several of the show’s writers. The event will include the US premiere of the first full episode. Based on the cult French comic books by Vives, Balak & Sanlaville, Lastman takes place in Paxtown, a capital under the influence of drugs and corruption. Season 2 pursues the adventures of the show’s main protagonist Richard Aldana with a whole new format and structure. 45-minute long and not unlike Akira Kurosawa’s Rashômon, each episode in Lastman’s new season can be enjoyed on its own. Crossing time and space dimensions, the series sheds light on the same two central events and the stakes faced by all the characters using various genres from musical and comedy to horror and fantasy. Produced by Everybody on Deck (also behind the highly anticipated feature Mars Express).
Work in Progress: No Dogs or Italians Allowed (Interdit aux chiens et aux italiens)
With director Alain Ughetto
In English, 75 min
In this Work in Progress, Alain Ughetto will discuss his journey in crafting this very personal film based on the story of his own family who left their homeland in Piedmont, Italy to settle in France. Accompanied by his grandmother (the puppet version!), Ughetto will shine a light on puppet making and stop motion animation. The event will also feature a 15-minute clip of the film, giving the audience a unique opportunity to discover the director’s creative mise en scène choices and carefully crafted sets. This epic journey of the Ughetto family who faced two wars, misery, and fascism, casts a personal light on a universal story that is sure to speak to people across the world.
Work in Progress: Little Nicholas (Le Petit Nicolas)
With co-directors Benjamin Massoubre (in person) and Amandine Fredon (online)
In English, 60 min
Director Benjamin Massoubre presents the creative process behind the forthcoming feature Little Nicholas, based on the eponymous book series about a little boy. Little Nicholas has enchanted generations of French children and adults since the 1960s. Massoubre will be joined, live from France, by co-director Amandine Fredon. A film that promises to be visually rich and fascinating, Massoubre’s and Fredon’s Little Nicholas alternates between the lives of their creators, René Goscinny and Jean-Jacques Sempé, and stories of Little Nicholas. Working from a studio located between Montmatre and Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the two men imagined a dream childhood for their beloved character.
Conversation with Florence Miailhe
In English, 60 min
Florence Miailhe, Animation First 2022’s guest of honor, discusses the inspiration behind her carefully crafted and deeply poetic films. Throughout her career, Miailhe has hand-painted or hand-drawn each frame to create deeply textured and vividly animated characters and sets. She will discuss the making of her award-winning debut feature film The Crossing, her creative process throughout an unusual career, and her sources of inspiration.
Work in Progress: The Inventor
With director Jim Capobianco
In English, 60 min
In The Inventor, co-directors Jim Capobianco (Academy Award nominated writer of Ratatouille) and Pierre-Luc Granjon (La Grosse Bête, Molly in Springtime) bring to life one of the most insatiably curious and headstrong inventors in the world, Leonardo da Vinci. In this Work in Progress, Capobianco will discuss this much anticipated film with clips and images. He will address the creative choices he made with Granjon for their stop-motion and 2-D drawn adventure film and how they work as a team from LA and the South of France.
The Inventor is voiced by erudite comedian Stephen Fry (Leonardo) Star Wars hero Daisy Ridley (Marguerite), and Marion Cotillard (Queen Louise), backed by a stellar creative team, including animation director Kim Keukeleire (Isle of Dogs, Fantastic Mr. Fox) and Tomm Moore (Wolfwalkers) Special thanks to Foliascope.
The Influence of Disney in French Animation
Sun, Feb 13 at 5pm in FIAF Skyroom
In English, 60 min
A panel of animation experts will discuss the influence films created by The Walt Disney Company have had on French animation, and the fascinating history between the two countries’ industries as far back as the mid 20th century.
ONLINE NATIONWIDE
Work in Progress: Uncanny Stories (L’Etrange collection)
In English, 60 min
Uncanny Stories is a horror anthology conceived and created by artists passionate about the genre. It combines literature and animation and includes six chapters, conceived by six directors as short films and adapted from fantastic shorts written by emblematic authors Edgar Allan Poe, H. P. Lovecraft, Jean Ray, the Grimm brothers, and Laura Kasischke. In this exclusive pre-recorded Work in Progress, all writers were invited to discuss the creation of the series and the artistic choices they made to adapt these classic horror stories. Participants included: Izù Troin, Alain Gagnol, Jean-Loup Felicioli, Fabrice Luang Vija, Benoît Razy, Morten Riisberg Hansen and Hefang Wei. Special thanks to Folimage.
Women in Animation
In English, 80 min
The panel discussion will bring together women in their mid-career who work in different positions in the animation pipeline in France and the US. They will discuss the state of the industry, what is currently at stake for women in the field, the challenges, successes, and later-career strategies for these professionals. They will shed a particular light on the too rarely highlighted women animators in mid-career. Co-presented with Women in Animation.
VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCES AND VIDEO GAMES
IN PERSON AT FIAF
Throughout the festival weekend, the FIAF Gallery will be open for free to the general public to experience virtual reality experiences and video games from students (ENJMIN, Angoulême, France), and from the French studio The Pixel Hunt. Two workshops (one in person and one online) will be organized in collaboration with Prof. Kevin Park and his Graduate Assistants from New York Institute of Technology. Visitors will go through a wide range of unique experiences, traveling through memories, celebrating the end of high school or navigating a boat, and spanning time periods and space from Canada to a post-apocalyptic universe.
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