04/05/2021 - The Annecy Film Festival, unfolding in hybrid form from 14 to 19 June, has unveiled a tantalising selection of works-in-progress, including eight European feature films

Having unveiled its showcase of short films, graduate films and TV and commissioned works at the end of March, the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, which is the biggest global gathering of its kind and is unfolding in hybrid form between 14 and 19 June 2021 (alongside its accompanying MIFA market, unspooling 15 – 18 June), has now revealed its Works in Progress selection.

Out of the 16 chosen titles, the 9 feature films and 2 XR works selected for the event will be accessible on site as well as online, while the Short and Series WIPs will be exclusively presented online via the festival’s dedicated platform.

It’s worth noting that this year’s feature film line-up is almost entirely European in kind (with the exception of the Brazilian movie Perlimps), with no shortage of highly anticipated titles in the offing, such as The Peasants [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (see the teaser here [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) by Poland’s Dorota Kobiela (who was nominated for an Oscar in 2018 by way of Loving Vincent [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Dorota Kobiela
film profile]), The Siren [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Sepideh Farsi and Unicorn Wars [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Spain’s Alberto Vázquez Rico (who made a name for himself with Psiconautas [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), not to mention Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pierre Földes
film profile] by Pierre Földes (an adaptation of the eponymous collection of short stories penned by the famous Japanese author Haruki Murakami).

The full WIP selection for 2021 is as follows:

Feature Film WIPs

The Siren [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Sepideh Farsi (France/Germany/Luxembourg/Belgium)
Production: Les Films d’ici, Katuh Studio, BAC Cinéma, Lunanime
Sales: BAC Films

Mars Express [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jérémie Périn
film profile] - Jérémie Périn (France)
Production: Everybody on Deck, EV.L prod, Plume Finance, France 3 Cinéma
Sales: mk2

Unicorn Wars [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Alberto Vázquez Rico (Spain/France)
Production: Abano Producións, Uniko, Autour de Minuit, Schmuby
Sales: Charades

Little Nicholas [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Amandine Fredon and Benjami…
film profile] - Amandine Fredon and Benjamin Massoubre (France/Luxembourg)
Production: ON Kids & Family, Bidibul Productions
Sales: Charades

Princesse Dragon - Anthony Roux and Jean-Jacques Denis (France)
Production and sales: Ankama

Nayola [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - José Miguel Ribeiro (Portugal/Belgium/France/The Netherlands)
Production: Praça Filmes, S.O.I.L., JPL Films, il Luster

Perlimps - Alê Abreu (Brazil)
Production: Buriti Filmes

The Peasants - Dorota Kobiela (Poland/Serbia/Lithuania)
Production: Chlopi Sp. z o.o, Breakthru Films, Digitalkraft d.o.o., Art Shot
Sales: New Europe Film Sales

Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pierre Földes
film profile] - Pierre Földes (France/Canada/The Netherlands/Luxembourg)
Production: Cinéma Defacto, Miyu Productions
Sales: The Match Factory

Short WIPs

Robin Robin - Dan Ojari, Mikey Please (UK/USA)

Series WIPs

Fena: Pirate Princess - Kazuto Nakazawa (USA/Japan)
Maya and the Three - Jorge Gutiérrez (USA)
The House - Emma de Swaef, Marc James Roels, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Paloma Baeza (UK/USA)
Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles - Khang Le (USA/France)

XR WIPs

Immersion, nature augmentée - Anne-Lise Koelher, Eric Serre (France)
Ascenders - Jonathan Astruc (France)

(Translated from French)