This year’s Annecy Animation Showcase, which is becoming increasingly influential at the world’s most recognized film festivals and markets, brings together a diverse international line-up of animated works in various stages of development, spanning author-led projects, commercially positioned genre films, and cross-border co-productions.
This year’s selection combines European arthouse sensibilities, Japanese auteur work, and emerging Latin American talent, and includes projects expected to premiere in the next two to three years. Some of the projects are well-known, while others are relatively new to the scene.
This year’s selection also shows how important international partnerships have become for non-Hollywood animation, with three out of five films being cross-border co-productions.
Below is a breakdown of the five titles announced at this year’s showcase, which will be held May 15-17.
leftMasashi Kawamura (Japan)
The Japanese project is one of the most talked about titles at this year’s Annecy Animation Showcase. leftDirected by Masashi Kawamura and produced by Dwarf Studios alongside Whatever and Tecarat, the film is being touted as a high-concept action feature scheduled for completion in 2029. A Kickstarter campaign launched in March 2023 raised nearly $100,000 to get the project off the ground. Things have certainly gone well in the two years since then, considering the project’s presence at Cannes this year.
The film is set during the rebuilding of Edo Castle and follows Hidari Jingoro, a legendary craftsman who embarks on a journey of revenge after losing a father figure, his fiancée, and even his right arm. The character, who rebuilds himself with a mechanical prosthetic leg, blends period drama with highly stylized action elements.
The project already has a large following online. The crowdfunding proof-of-concept trailer has already been viewed nearly 5 million times on YouTube alone. Perhaps it’s an outlier, or another sign that building a following online before hitting the market is the way to go.
BatailleVirgin Keaton (France, Canada, Italy, Belgium)
French director Virgin Keaton is back Bataillean 80-minute set during a Renaissance-era conflict. According to early sources, the film depicts a battle that gradually descends into chaos, with the focus shifting from military tactics to human survival. The story juxtaposes the instinct for victory with the instinct for survival, suggesting a more philosophical, formally ambitious approach to animated war stories.
This project aligns with Annecy’s continued focus on animation as a medium for mature, thematically complex narratives. Keaton himself is no newcomer to Annecy, having previously screened a short film in 2009. I screamed at or for life in the festival’s prestigious main competition.
Dog my cats!Alain Gagnol (France, Canada, Belgium)
Oscar-nominated French film director Alain Gagnol (cat in paris) present Dog my cats! (dogs don’t give birth to cats) is a heartwarming 2D story currently scheduled for release in 2027. This was one of my favorites from Cartoon Movie 2024.
Produced by Canadian and Belgian partners and Palmi Les Ruciole Films, the film follows brothers Jules and Laura whose lives are disrupted by the arrival of their grandmother and the mysterious search for a missing teenage boy. The story revolves around the discovery of a family’s hidden heritage. Oh, Grandma can talk to cats!
The project, which was sold by KMBO, has already shown international commercial appeal and features prominently in Cartoon Movie 2024.
useless chefTakayuki Hirao (Japan)
From Japanese director Takayuki Hirao, useless chef is one of the more conceptually different projects in the lineup, combining culinary storytelling with speculative world-building. Not surprising for the filmmaker who directed the episode. Attack on Titan, death notean Annie Award-nominated 2021 feature Pump: Ciefil.
Produced by CLAP Studio and targeted for release in 2027, the film follows a young chef who searches for lost flavors in a world where taste has disappeared. After meeting a mysterious collaborator, his cook begins to regain his memory, but a looming force threatens to erase his desires completely.
Insect museumSofia Carrillo (Mexico, Spain)
Mexican stop-motion filmmaker Sofia Carrillo announces feature debut Insect museum It was featured in the showcase as part of a growing number of Latin American animated works attracting attention at European events.
Carrillo, speaking at the important Ibermedia Next platform last November, described the project as a “dark fantasy noir” rooted in the collapse of real-world insect populations, using speculative storytelling to reframe its ecological significance. The film is intended to serve as both an allegory and a cautionary tale, imagining how the evolution, or resurrection, of insect life might re-establish the balance between humans, animals, and the environment.
Visually, Insectario will work in a hybrid production pipeline with teams in Mexico and Spain, leaning into a tactile stop-motion aesthetic enhanced by emerging technologies such as a 3D printed facial replacement system, AI-assisted concept development, and the possibility of set expansion in post.
marche snapshot
We’re seeing several industry trends across this year’s lineup.
- High reliance on international co-productionespecially within Europe
- genre hybridwhich combines drama with fantasy, action, or speculative elements.
- The author has a strong presencethere’s nothing new or unexpected in that regard, considering we’re talking about Cannes and Annecy, events with great reputations in that regard.
- wide rangefrom family stories to dark adult tales, this year’s lineup has something for everyone
The Annecy Showcase continues to serve as a major platform for projects seeking funding, sales representation and festival positioning, providing an early look at animated works that may be distributed at major festivals and markets in the coming years. We look forward to learning more about these titles next month.
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