The Annecy Animation Showcase returns to Cannes’ Marché du Film for another year, highlighting five promising animated works.
These ongoing projects from Japan, France and Mexico will bring animation to Cannes. It is a collaboration between Cannes’ Marché du Film and the Annecy Film Festival, which began with Animation Day in 2019 and has continued to grow ever since.
“For Annecy, this showcase represents an important extension of our commitment to supporting animation throughout the year beyond the festival itself,” said Michael Marin, CEO of Annecy Festival.
“This collaboration, which we have developed over time with Marché du Film, allows us to accompany projects at a decisive stage within one of the most strategic global platforms. It is both a continuation and an extension of our mission in service to cinema,” he added.
“Animation has always had a strong presence at Cannes, especially in the official selection,” said Alexandra Zakharchenko, Head of Industry Programs at the Marché du Film. “The role of animation within the wider Marché du Film ecosystem has evolved significantly, with several animated titles presented at the festival receiving significant international acclaim in recent years.”
Zakharchenko mentions films such as Flow, which premiered on the circuit at Cannes in 2024 and was a worldwide success with audiences and critics alike. “Flow” and its surprise Academy Award win subsequently paved the way for other major indie animation titles to try as well, including Hugo Bienvenue’s “Arco” and “Little Amelie and the Character of Rain.”
“We can see a growing interest in the possibilities of animation even among the professionals already attending Cannes, many of whom are no longer specialized in animation, but are increasingly involved in it,” Zakharchenko continued. “Private investors are also increasingly viewing animation as an IP-driven business model, moving across geographies, platforms and generations, while delivering long-term value beyond the screen. As buyers move from mass production to durability, animation stands out as a resilient ecosystem, connecting storytelling, fandom, distribution and global exploitation in ways that no other format can.”
According to Zakharchenko, this is a change that the team aims to reflect within Film Marche itself, where animation is no longer limited to a single Animation Day, but is embedded across markets under the Cannes Animation umbrella, spanning a wide range of formats, from showcases of work-in-progress and completed films to integration into other programs such as panels, workshops, networking events and targeted co-production conferences.
This year, with Japan selected as the Marché du Film’s 2026 Honorary Country, the team has placed particular emphasis on Japanese animation, alongside the long-standing strength and global reputation of French animation, and that focus is reflected in the five projects selected for this year’s Annecy Animation Showcase.
If you take a closer look at the title,
“Hydari” Masashi Kawamura (Japan)
Producer: Dwarf Studios, Whatever, Tecarat
Language: English; Genre: Action; Artistic Method: Stop Motion Animation. Completion: 2029
Legendary craftsman Hidari Jingoro is betrayed while rebuilding Edo Castle and loses his father figure, fiancée, and even his right arm. He trains deadly mechanical prosthetics, turns his sorrow into revenge, and carves a path to justice with his faithful “Sleeping Cat.”
The pilot film, which teases the incredible wooden stop-motion technique used to bring “Hidari” to life, was shared by the project team three years ago as a proof of concept along with footage of BTS. According to the Hidari’s team, Japanese animation is still highly regarded around the world for its unique visual language, which gives it a unique flare. “We wanted to fuse the world of Japanimation with the techniques of stop-motion animation to create an entertainment piece that no one had ever seen before. To that end, bringing the trees to life (through stop-motion animated wooden puppets) reflected both our artistic intentions and the anecdotes from Jingoro Hidashi’s life.” The project went beyond live-action and 2D animation to create a unique look and create memorable action scenes. It has the potential to create sequences.
“Hidari”
“Bataille” Virgin Keaton (France, Canada, Italy, Belgium)
Producers: Iliade et Films, Les Astronautes, Embuscade Films, Altara Films, Umedia
Language: French;Genre: Drama;Artistic Method: 2D Animation. Completion: 2028
On a cold winter morning, a battle rages around a small Italian Renaissance town. As his military strategy gradually goes awry, two movements, the desire for victory and the desire to live, come into conflict. Written and directed by Annecy Award-nominated artist Virgin Keaton, Bataille draws on Renaissance art to transform a single conflict into a universal allegory.
Keaton said the film “reaches beyond the grand scale to dissect group dynamics (hierarchy, power, submission) and focuses on the transhistorical and intimate. In doing so, Bataille weaves a tapestry of individual stories.” Sponsored by France’s CNC National Film Commission, the project features French singer-songwriter Pomme, and the unique style and universal message of “Bataille” have everything it takes to attract overseas buyers at this year’s showcase.
“Bataille”
“Les chiens ne font pas des chats”, Alain Gagnol (France, Canada, Belgium)
Producers: Jérôme Duc-Mosier (Parmi les lucioles films), Brice Garnier (Kaibou Production Inc.), Cédric Iland (UMEDIA)
Language: French;Genre: Drama;Artistic technique: 2D animation with 3D elements. Completion: 2027
After the death of their parents, Jules and Laura’s life takes a sad turn, but their daily routine is disrupted by their grandmother Jeanne, who appears with a very special mission: to find the missing teenager. Thanks to their grandmother, they discover within themselves a great family heritage. An all-star cast including Josiane Balasco as Jeanne, Golshifteh Farahani as Sunny, Philippe Katerine as Bono, Prune Bozo as Laura, and Ethan Maury Tragerset as Jules. The latest film from Oscar-nominated writer/director and French animation veteran Alain Gagnol (“Cats of Paris”) explores the bond between animals and humans, with the latter discovering that cats and dogs can actually bond. talk.
“I believe the world is much more than what our eyes can perceive,” Gagnol added, detailing stories that spark our imaginations and transcend genres, from fantasy to road movies, slapstick to poetry. “I wanted to speak to a family audience, because I believe that children’s perceptions of movies become richer over time. But most of all with this new film, I wanted to make children laugh!”
KMBO will sell in France, and Playtime will handle international sales. “Les chiens ne font pas des chats” is already supported by Eurimages and is expected to be completed in 2027.
“Let’s enjoy chatting”
“Wasted Chef” Takayuki Hirao (Japan)
Producer: CLAP Co., Ltd. Japan
Language: Japanese;Genre: Drama;Artistic Method: 2D/3D Animation. Completion: 2027
A young chef in search of a lost taste arrives in a tasteless, ruined town. His life was saved by Kasumi, and his cooking awakens his forgotten memories. But a dark force threatens to erase all desire, making his quest the last hope to save both worlds. This project was first announced in 2024 at the New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival in Hokkaido by Takayuki Hirao, director of “Ponpo: The Cinephile” and “Gyo: Tokyo Fish Attack,” and will be a completely original film that reunites the “Ponpo” team.
Produced by Ryoichiro Matsuo, Yunosuke Uno, and Kosuke Arai at CLAP Studio, “Wasted Chef” was introduced as “a unique yet classic Japanese animation that takes on a new genre by combining cooking and science fiction.” Although few details have been released yet, Crunchyroll previously reported that Hirao’s collaborators Shingo Adachi (character design) and Kenta Matsukuma (music) are working with Hirao again after their successful collaboration on Ponpo.
“Useless Chef”
“Insectario” Sofia Carrillo (Mexico, Spain)
Producer: Pimienta Film, Initia Film. Language: Spanish
Genre: Drama, comedy; artistic techniques. Completion: 2028
In a world where insects have become extinct, Lexi keeps specimens in a collection for her uncle, entomologist Dr. Klaus. After removing the pin from a rare Atacus atlas moth, she takes it home to hide her mistake, only to find that it has come to life.
“Insectario” itself was brought to the big screen by the famous Mexican film director Sofia Carrillo. “Sofia is one of the most distinctive and vibrant voices in Mexican animation,” said Pimienta Films’ Nicolas Celis, producer of Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma. “Her work stands out for its visually striking style and is imbued with an unsettling and deep emotional poetics.”
A two-time Ariel Award winner and member of Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio team, she makes her feature debut with this ambitious, narratively unique and sensitive film, which has already been selected for the Ventana Sur and Quirino Prize co-production forums and supported by the Mexican National Fund, Spain and Ibermedia Next.
“Insectario”
