Flemish talent in Annecy
News 24.04.2025The Annecy International Animated Film Festival, one of the leading festivals for animated film in the world, will take place from 8 to 14 June. Screen Flanders is well-represented this year with the selection of a number of supported co-productions.
Marcel et Monsieur Pagnol by Sylvain Chomet, maker of Les Triplettes de Belleville and L'Illusioniste, among others, has been selected in the Official Competition in Annecy. The film features the elderly Marcel Pagnol looking back on his life through encounters with his younger self.
The Flemish co-producer is Eric Goossens for Walking the Dog, which not only acted as co-producer but was also the project's main animation studio, along with subsidiary Doghouse Films in Luxembourg.
French rights to The Magnificent Life of Marcel Pagnol are being sold by Wild Bunch. Outside France, the film is represented by Elle Driver and Sony Classic Pictures. The film will have its world premiere in May as a Special Screening in the Official Selection of the Cannes Film Festival.
Screening info
Also Allah n'est pas obligé, the feature debut of Zaven Najjar, was selected. In the film, Birahima, a 10-year-old orphan boy from Guinea, tells, with much irony and armed with four dictionaries, how he gets involved in the tribal war when he visits his aunt in Liberia. Local producer is Annemie Degryse for Lunanime.
Furthermore, there is an Out of Competition screening of The Songbird's Secret. In this magical-realist film, archaeologist Caroline returns to her native region for an excavation. Her daughter Lucie discovers a hidden family secret, and, helped by a group of titmice, embarks on a wondrous quest. This is also a co-production with Lunanime.
Exhibition: Original Sets and Puppets from The Songbird's Secret
The exhibition, initiated by Samuel Ribeyron (who designed the film sets), is dedicated to the film The Songbirds' Secret (directed by Antoine Lanciaux), and includes around twenty stop-motion frames.
Designed like a rostrum camera, the frames showcase a selection of shots from the film. At the centre of each display case, original paper cutout characters and pieces from the sets are presented on five levels so that each image provides a fully immersive experience for the viewer of this incredible feature film.
Daily from June 8 until June 14, 10:00 to 18:00.
CAUE 74
7, esplanade Paul Grimault
Annecy
France
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