Annecy, France — The prestigious Annecy Animation Festival concluded on Saturday with a star-studded awards ceremony, celebrating remarkable achievements in animation. French filmmaker Ugo Bienvenu’s enchanting film Arco, which blends time-travel and fantasy, was awarded the Cristal for Best Animated Feature. The film follows Arco, a young boy who, while navigating his way through the year 2932, inadvertently gets stuck in 2075 and, with the help of a young girl, seeks a way back home. Produced by actress Natalie Portman and Sophie Mas, Arco first premiered at the Cannes Festival and has already been secured for North American distribution by Neon.
In addition, the Jury Prize went to ChaO, a sci-fi fantasy directed by Yasuhiro Aoki and produced by renowned Studio 4°C. This quirky film explores a love story between a shipbuilder and a mermaid princess. ChaO is set to hit theaters later this year, with a release planned for the summer in Japan.
Japanese director Momoko Seto’s Dandelion’s Odyssey, a thought-provoking post-apocalyptic feature, received the Jury Special Mention Prize, also known as the Paul Grimault Award. The film gained further recognition by closing the Critics’ Week at Cannes. Meanwhile, the Audience Prize was awarded to Little Amelie or the Character of Rain, directed by French duo Mailys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han. This acclaimed film is based on the autobiographical work of Amelie Nothomb and depicts her childhood in Japan.
In the realm of shorts, Pierre-Luc Granjon’s The Night Boots captured the Cristal for a Short Film and also won the Audience Award. U.S. director Michael Granberry took home the Jury Prize for his innovative black-and-white stop-motion short, Les Bêtes.
The awards ceremony also recognized An Almost Christmas Story, a TV special directed by David Lowery and produced by Alfonso Cuaron, which received the Jury Prize for Best TV Special.
As the night unfolded, the backdrop of global conflicts, including the ongoing turmoil in Gaza, Ukraine, and Iran, weighed heavily on attendees. Many award recipients voiced their concerns about the current state of the world and the role of animation as a beacon of hope. Granberry expressed how the medium can inspire others, stating that artists carry a unique light that is vital in dark times.
Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi, a jury member, touched on the need for the cinema and animation community to effect real change. She highlighted the importance of not just telling stories through film, but also embodying the heroism seen in those stories and striving for betterment in reality.
The festival saw an impressive lineup of winners, with notable awards such as the Gand Foundation Award for distribution, which went to Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake, and the Contrechamp Grand Prize awarded to Endless Cookie.
In other honors, Zwermen claimed the Jean-Luc Xiberras Award for a First Film, while the Lotte Reiniger Award recognized Q. Both highlight the festival’s commitment to showcasing emerging talent alongside established creators.
This year’s Annecy Animation Festival not only highlighted artistic achievements but also fostered a sense of community and reflection in the face of global crises.
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