Latest news with #AnnecyAnimationFestival
Broadcast Pro
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Animotion Media Group debuts animated series ‘Shooting Stars' at Annecy
With 26 x 11' episodes planned, the series has global reach and transmedia potential. Animotion Media Group debuted its newest animated series, Shooting Stars, at the Annecy Animation Festival (MIFA). The UAE-based studio, known for its focus on family-friendly content, promises an explosive mix of action, comedy, and empowerment with this girl-centered series that aims to resonate with girls aged 8 to 12. Shooting Stars follows the lives of five spirited high school girls — Netty, Cath, Eva, Mia and Naomi — who bond over their shared love for football. While they dominate on the field, their everyday teenage struggles remain real and relatable. Their world takes an extraordinary turn when a meteor crash lands on their football field, granting them mysterious superpowers. What begins as regular team practice quickly morphs into high-stakes battles against strange monsters, as the girls juggle their new dual lives as both athletes and unlikely superheroes. The series dives deep into themes of identity, self-confidence, and resilience, showing the challenges and triumphs of growing up in a world that often underestimates girls. With humor, heart, and high-octane adventure, the show explores how each girl's unique power reflects her personality — from Eva's unbreakable strength to Cath's lightning-quick instincts, and Netty's razor-sharp intellect. These differences become their greatest strength as they learn that real power lies in diversity and unity. Julia Nikolaeva, General Manager at Animotion and the producer behind the project, said: 'Shooting Stars is about more than superpowers and soccer goals — it's about strength, resilience, and identity. We wanted to make a show that feels real for today's Gen Alpha — a world where girls can be everything: athletes, dreamers, leaders, heroes. With Shooting Stars, we're holding a mirror up to girls and saying: 'You can be powerful just as you are.' With 26 episodes of 11 minutes each, Shooting Stars is designed with international audiences in mind. Packed with humor, fast-paced storytelling, dazzling transformations, and powerful match sequences, the series stands as a fresh take on inclusive entertainment. It also boasts strong transmedia potential, ensuring its reach goes far beyond the small screen. Following in the footsteps of Animotion's globally successful titles like The Fixies, Tina & Tony, BabyRiki, and Finnick, this latest venture is poised to break boundaries — both in storytelling and in representation. Shooting Stars is not just about scoring goals; it's about defying expectations, breaking stereotypes, and creating a new playbook for what girls in animation can be.
Express Tribune
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Evolving, adapting since 1989
With more than 750 episodes, a feature film, comics, and its catchphrases embedded in the pop-culture across nearly four decades, The Simpsons continues its legacy, remaining one of the most loved shows on television. At this year's Annecy Animation Festival, The Simpsons creators joined to celebrate the long-running show, which has recently been greenlit for more episodes. The re-order will see it cross 40 seasons. "The fans are as intense as ever. In fact, more intense. When we were here last, we got a pretty great response. But this time, it's completely nuts," series creator Matt Groening told Variety during an interview at the festival. Since 1989 The buzz, achieved by the series, is perhaps due to the fact that The Simpsons has never taken a hiatus since its debut, carving a solid base with its consistency. "We've been on the air since 1989," Groening said. "The show goes year-round. The fact that we're here in France to celebrate the show means we're going to be a week behind." While the show has been a mainstay on TV, streaming has only amplified its impact. "Being on Disney+ has been somewhat rejuvenating for us," Matt Selman said. "Not that we realised we needed rejuvenation, but we appreciate it." The audience doesn't have to wait for reruns on TV or buy DVDs. It's all available with just one click. "Now instead of the kids watching it on local TV in the afternoon, they can just watch it all, all the time, all day, all forever," Selman added. "We really have that super connection to young people." While the connection with young people has always been there for the show, their access to it wasn't always easy. Many parents didn't allow their children to watch The Simpsons due to the show's mature elements and cartoon violence. But the allure of the forbidden always outweighs restrictions. And The Simpsons's relevance among the younger audience through the decades is just one proof piece of evidence for that. "One of the best things that ever happened in the course of the show was that some people forbade the show," Groening recalled. "It became this exotic, forbidden thing. Bart Simpson Underachiever T-shirts were once controversial and banned in schools. So when we did a Lisa Simpson Overachiever T-shirt, but we got in trouble for that because it said 'Damn I'm Good.'" New seasons The new four seasons will have 17 episodes each, instead of the usual 22. "Work has a way of expanding to fill the time available," Groening said. "But if you know that you have four seasons to think about, it changes how you approach storytelling." However, the show, which has seen entire distribution and marketing methods evolve through the times, has never quite stayed limited to TV. It has expanded into music, games, and even merchandise such as lunchboxes. For the creators, even the merch becomes part of the storytelling. "It is storytelling," said Groening. "Even merchandise – even a lunch box – we try to tell a little story, and include a little joke. We try to avoid what's called in the biz a 'label slap,'" he added. "We actually try to have jokes on everything." Silverman pointed out the meta humour they include via the characters, "Even comment on what we're doing, you know, like our characters being on a lunch box – it's sort of making some observation about being on a lunch box." Selman, on the other hand, brought up the satire vs commercialisation argument. "The show was always sort of able to have its cake and eat it too, in terms of selling a lot of merchandise but also satirising the phenomenon of over-merchandising. It was like, 'Look, can you believe we're doing this?'" The creators cite an example from the show when in an early episode, they showed Krusty Flakes on a kitchen table with the cereal's slogan 'Because only sugar has more sugar.' When the team later attempted to develop a healthier cereal in the real world, "there was not a single cereal company in America that would put it out," as Groening said, Editing process The makers also discussed the editing process of the show. They pointed out the struggles of getting the pacing right since otherwise, the whole episode collapses. "If a show is cut really tight and the jokes don't breathe, the scenes seem too fast-paced," Selman said. "None of it really seems as funny or as engaging." "This is the kind of thing we agonise over," Groening added. It's fantastic to see the makers, who have already seen and done it all for decades, not rest on their laurels after all the decades. They are constantly adapting and evolving with the times and learning to expand and understand and be on the same page with the real-world surroundings. Undoubtedly, this approach is the cause of the success of The Simpsons.
San Francisco Chronicle
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Pixar shares new ‘Toy Story 5' details — and who'll replace a beloved character
Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the characters in Pixar's most beloved franchise will face their ultimate challenge yet in ' Toy Story 5 ': children who'd rather stare at their screens than play with action figures. Pete Docter, chief creative officer of Disney's Emeryville-based Pixar Animation Studios, revealed the opening sequence and behind-the-scenes footage for what is expected to be one of the biggest movies of 2026 on Friday, June 13. 'It's toy meets tech,' Docter told the Annecy Animation Festival crowd in France. The plot of 'Toy Story 5' will feature the cast of miniatures dealing with a tech tablet named Lillypad, the new favorite plaything of their 8-year-old owner, Bonnie Anderson. Docter confirmed the return of franchise regulars Tom Hanks (Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz) and Joan Cusack (Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl), and said that Ernie Hudson will voice Combat Carl, taking over for the late Carl Weathers. Docter then showed the first scene, in which a bunch of Buzz Lightyears are in an abandoned container awake on a deserted island, struggling to reconnect with 'Star Command.' 'Toy Story 5,' directed by Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris and produced by Jessica Choi, is scheduled for release on June 19, 2026. But Docter was not done. He revealed a new film, 'Gatto,' an original film to be directed by ' Luca ' filmmaker Enrico Casarosa. Set for release in 2027, it follows Nero, a water-hating black cat living in Venice, Italy, who befriends Maya, a lonely street musician. Docter also showed the first footage for the previously announced 'Hoppers,' due out March 6, about Mabel (Piper Curda), a young woman trying to stop a local mayor (Jon Hamm) from building a highway that will destroy woodlands. Using a secret brain-swapping technology, Mabel becomes a robot beaver to lead a revolt. The first ' Toy Story,' Pixar's first feature-length film that revolutionized animation, showed at Annecy in 1995. Since then, the festival has become the Cannes of animation — or, as Docter calls it, 'the greatest festival in the world.'
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Odd Taxi's' Baku Kinoshita on His Melancholic Feature Debut ‘The Last Blossom,' Premiering in Annecy
There's a deep melancholy emanating from 'The Last Blossom,' Baku Kinoshita's anime feature, playing in competition at this year's Annecy Animation Festival. Kinoshita's directorial debut tells the story of Minoru Akutsu, a former yakuza dying in a solitary prison cell after a life sentence. His only company is a potted balsam flower. The filmmaker puts a whimsical twist on a rather dark tale by having that flower converse with Akutsu, who tells it the story of his life before imprisonment. The flower is animated with expressivity and liveliness, speaking to Akutsu and questioning why he didn't take certain paths, as if his own conscience were talking back to him. More from Variety Sentient Acorns, Badass Grandmas and Underwater Knights Feature Among MIFA's 2025 Feature Pitches Key Latin America Animation Titles to Come Under the Spotlight at Annecy-MIFA's La Liga Focus 'Edmond and Lucy' Returns With Season 2 From MIAM! Animation: Feature Adaptation in Development Variety spoke to Kinoshita about the adjustments of making a first feature following the film's screening at the festival. When 'Odd Taxi' came out, many people compared it to Martin Scorsese's work. I wondered what character dramas you had in mind for 'The Last Blossom.' A friend told me it reminded them of Takeshi Kitano. Exactly that. I love Scorsese and Takeshi Kitano has been a big, big influence on me, and so I guess with this, yeah, I was influenced by [Kitano]'s worldview and the way he structures his stories, the way the shots are pieced together. With Takeshi Kitano's films, you might have a blue sky and lovely sunny sky and some beautiful greenery, and then behind the bushes someone's being murdered, 'cause it doesn't matter what the weather's like or if someone's being murdered. It gives you a sense of truth or reality. It's quite a sorrowful story. Why did you want to tell it? I like this idea of finding release from something restraining you psychologically. It was the same in 'Odd Taxi' and in 'The Last Blossom,' and I got to share that with the screenwriter [Kazuya Konomoto] as well. So, while this film is about a yakuza, the heart of the story is showing the life of someone who's kind of gone off the rails in society. So yes, his job is being a yakuza, but I wanted to focus on his life and, you know, the space that he lives in, how he talks to his family, what his interests are. The animation is very reserved; in much of the film, there's a lot of stillness, but here you have this character of a very animated balsam flower. Since the rest of the film is more realistic in tone, I wanted to ask what inspired you to have this kind of character. I wanted the flower to be the opposite character to Akutsu. I thought it would be an attractive contrast if I made this huge gap between their characters. Well, maybe it's obvious, but Akutsu doesn't change shape or take different forms; he's very quiet, whereas the flower is funny and flexible and has a lot of freedom, very animated, as you say. I thought the freer I made the flower, the bigger the contrast with Akutsu, and the more his particular characteristics would stand out, which in turn makes the characteristics of the flower more obvious. And so for me, it was very important to create the atmosphere of the film by making the flower very elastic. Speaking of that atmosphere, I remember in your work-in-progress session from last year you spoke about the film being about 'stillness, movement and stillness' in its rhythm, and I wanted to ask your thoughts on the most important way of creating that rhythm. I think – and this is sort of instinctive – but you'll see that after there's a really still scene, sometimes I'd put in a burst of action without anything in between. So just quiet, quiet, and then action. I've done that on a few occasions throughout the film, to stop the audience getting… bored? That's intentional, and it's also kind of instinctive, but it's very important, I think, for the rhythm of the film. Zooming out a little bit, were there any major adjustments from directing a series to directing a feature? A film is just much shorter, and that means that you can focus much more on every single shot, which makes it feel like you're doing something worth doing, because you can put so much energy into the quality that you're creating. Was there a moment during the 'The Last Blossom' production that made you realize that? Well, with this film, I checked every single frame. All the background art, all the character movement, every inch of every frame I checked myself. So it was just a different level of detail in the checking that I did, a different quality and a different quantity. 'The Last Blossom' is grounded and original. In animation, it's often difficult to get an original drama, let alone one this understated, off the ground. Well, I do feel that I was very, very lucky to get the opportunity to make an original animation like this. I've always wanted to make animation that doesn't exist in Japan or hasn't existed in Japan in the past. I also thought that I had a chance with this and that there was probably someone out there who wanted to see this film. Going back to the process of making the film, you spoke before about referring to anime from the '80s in terms of the tone of the sequences set in the past. Could you discuss how you went about that? For example, with the background arts, I used vivid, close-to-primary colors. I wanted to rely as little as possible on filming effects, so with the background colors I referenced films like – well, it wasn't from that long ago – but 'Lilo and Stitch' and its use of strong color. A lot of this process sounds like you wanted to be quite restrained in the techniques you're using, you wanted to be economical and straightforward. I can imagine that there's the temptation to keep adding elements. It's tricky for me. Trying a whole bunch of different things is quite risky. My philosophy is to try not to overreach, to make the most beautiful thing I can within my abilities. I did get told off quite a bit from the team for changing things partway, though. For example, after I'd drawn Akutsu's face quite a bit, it gradually got more refined, and I quite liked the way it changed, so then I went back to the beginning and said we had to change him from the beginning. Because this film runs on a theme that's so personal to you, what were you hoping an audience would take away from it? This idea of being released from something that's holding you in. I think, to put it another way, quite simply, it's change, and I see value in people changing. For example, if you have a boy at school who's really shy, really inward-looking, and then the next day he manages to say 'hello.' There's change. It's the same idea that I'm getting at – the opportunity for huge richness, which applies to everybody. No matter how small the change is. However small the change, I think it's beautiful and worthwhile. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pixar Announces New Original Film ‘Gatto,' Previews Joan Cusack's ‘Toy Story 5' Return and Presents ‘Hoppers' Exclusive Footage at Annecy
Today, Disney and Pixar reaffirmed their commitment to France's Annecy Animation Festival, a world-class event the studios now use annually to deliver exclusive news and preview screenings to a global audience of animation fans. In what opened as a regular preview showcase of upcoming 'Elio,' DisneyPixar's Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter unveiled a packed Pixar slate featuring an all-new film, breaking the news to an ecstatic audience at Annecy, which he called 'the greatest festival in the world.' More from Variety Laika Unveils New 'ParaNorman' Short Starring Anna Kendrick and Finn Wolfhard: Original Feature Getting Halloween Re-Release 'High in the Clouds' Shares Original Music, Early Art and a Beatles Reunion in Annecy Sneak Peek Disney Sneak Peeks 'Zootopia 2' at Annecy: Announces Studio Return of 'The Little Mermaid,' 'Aladdin,' 'Moana' Director Ron Clements 'Gatto', expected in summer 2027, comes from the filmmaking team behind 'Luca,' director Enrico Casarosa and producer Andrea Warren. Casarosa's directorial debut feature, now turned fan-favorite due to his lovable characters and lush Italian settings, 'Luca' was the first Pixar film to be released exclusively on Disney+, as Hollywood execs struggled to adapt to the pandemic's shifting tides. Since then, DisneyPixar has —to all animation fans' greatest pleasure— pivoted back to a worldwide theatrical release strategy, paired with exclusive premieres. Annecy crowds may well be the very first audience to discover 'Gatto' in June 2027. This new Pixar film returns to Italy, Casarosa's birth country, this time to Venice, where, after years of maneuvering the seaside, an extraordinary city, a black cat named Nero begins to question whether he's lived the right life. A partial music-lover —at least, his tail is— and non-swimming feline who is indebted to a local feline mob boss, Nero, finds himself in a quandary and is forced to forge a truly unexpected friendship with Maya, a street artist who adopts him against his will. Together, those two individuals form an odd couple, but this relation might finally lead Nero to find his purpose…. unless the mysterious and dark side of Venice gets the better of him first. The Annecy crowd cheered the announcement and went wild as Docter unveiled animation tests of a distinct, unique hand-painted look, something Pixar has never shown before. The film appears to be rich in colors from Venetian settings, and blends 2D hand paint textures with cutting-edge CG animation. As 'Luca' continues to delight Pixar fans and family audiences alike, 'Gatto' is scheduled for summer 2027. 'Luca' was re-released last year, along with two other COVID-struck Pixar films, 'Turning Red' and 'Soul,' and is now streaming exclusively on Disney+. Animation-hungry Annecy crowds were not disappointed by this year's showcase, as 'Elio' filmmakers Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and producer Mary Alice Drumm took the stage and offered a not-so-brief 27-minute preview of their long-awaited feature. From tears to joy, fans were treated by a highly sensitive 'Inside-Out' level opening, after which the Sharafian, Shi and Drumm took Annecy's audience by hand to a whole new Pixar environment, the luscious Communiverse. Elio, mistaken for Earth's leader, becomes part of this galactic assembly and meets a wide variety of aliens. Carefully designed by Pixar teams, those creatures range from quirky-looking squids to furry and slender ostriches and live in an environment deeply inspired by marine life, deep-sea creatures and macrophotography. Oscar winner and production designer Harley Jessup helped the team bring this colorful universe to life, creating a wonderful, soon-to-be children's favorite, brand new world. What has been shown so far from this female-driven project enchanted festival goers, leaving them eager to discover the full scope of the adventures that await Elio and Aunt Olga (voiced by Academy Award Winner Zoe Saldaña), as Elio travels millions of miles across the universe encountering a host of out-of-this world creatures who just might help him figure out exactly where he belongs. 'Elio' hits global theaters next week. 'Hoppers' is helmed by BAFTA Children's Awards winner Daniel Chong ('We Bare Bears') and appears to bring a refreshing humor to this strikingly beautiful girl-turns-beaver modern ecological adventure. With voice talents such as Primetime Emmy winner Jon Hamm and 'Saturday Night Live' actor and writer Bobby Moynihan, 'Hoppers' tells the story of Mabel (voiced by Piper Curda), who wants to protect her favorite local pond from a highway construction project. To do so, she steals 'Hoppers' technology, which places her consciousness into a robotic beaver and allows her to uncover mysteries within the animal world beyond her imagination. DisneyPixar's CCO Peter Docter — who was honored today with an induction into Annecy's Walk of Fame — delighted Pixar fans with exclusive footage from 'Hoppers' along with a sneak peek at the first two minutes of the studio's summer 2026 release, 'Toy Story 5.' Following up with 'Toy Story 5,' Docter confirmed the return of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Joan Cusack as Jessie in this next 'Toy Story' chapter and announced exciting new characters as well. A 'Toys Meet Tech', as Docter described it, this new 'Toy Story' film follows an eight-year-old Bonnie as she discovers her new toy tablet. A device that is as enticing as can be, and that the other toys will have to deal with. A two-minute clip that had fans instantly on board, as the studio celebrates the 30th birthday of the fan-favorite, trailblazing franchise. 'Toy Story', released in 1995, is the first feature-length computer-animated film ever released and the debut feature release from Pixar Animation Studios, released by Walt Disney Pictures – a film that revolutionized the industry and brought forth the age of computer-generated animation. As the supervising animator on the original 'Toy Story,', Docter showcased rarely seen legacy footage from the film, which brought fame and fortune to Pixar and started a franchise that has since received 18 Academy Award nominations and won 3 Academy Awards and a Special Achievement Award, with best animated feature for both 'Toy Story 3' and 'Toy Story 4' and best original song ('We Belong Together'), featured in the acclaimed third installment of Woody and Buzz' franchise. 30 years ago, 'Toy Story' was showcased in Annecy. Today, it definitely seemed that Docter was once again telling Annecy's crowds: 'You've Got a Friend in Me.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
