Animation has long-standing roots at Cannes, with years of prestige and experimental runs. This year, the festival keeps things tight but diverse, spanning different styles and techniques across sections.
The program glances toward the Oscar race while preserving the ceremony’s appetite for discovery. A few titles stand out as potential award contenders, even if not every project lands wide distribution.
Among the strongest bets is Fallen, a project drawing attention for its craft and mood.
Two films will debut at Cannes this May before continuing on to Annecy in June, following a pattern set by last year’s entries Arco and Little Amélie or the Character of Rain.
A Special Screening features Tangles, the debut feature by Leah Nelson, adapted from Sarah Leavitt’s graphic memoir about a daughter returning home to support a mother facing Alzheimer’s.
Cannes Fortnight opens with In Waves, a French animated feature by Phuong Mai Nguyen about romance between a surfer and a skateboarder. The Fortnight slate also includes other works in English and French versions. The festival closes with Le vertige, a Quentin Dupieux comedy about a man who discovers his world is a simulation that looks like a PS2 game.
Other entries include We Are Aliens (rotoscope) and Viva Carmen!, an adaptation of the famous opera by Sébastien Laudenbach.
Even with a smaller lineup, Cannes promises a lively blend of 2D, rotoscope, and hybrid animation, enough to spark conversations and perhaps surprise attendees.
In short, the Croisette remains a fertile ground for discovering fresh voices in animation.
Source: Original article
