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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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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Below is a breakdown of the five titles announced at this year’s showcase, which will be held May 15-17.<\/p>\n
The Japanese project is one of the most talked about titles at this year’s Annecy Animation Showcase. left<\/em>Directed 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.<\/p>\n 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 fianc\u00e9e, and even his right arm. The character, who rebuilds himself with a mechanical prosthetic leg, blends period drama with highly stylized action elements.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n