For the third year in a row, the nWave team took the Eurostar from Brussels for a trip to the now well-established annual Annecy Animation Festival. And this year, they’re bringing in man’s best friend.
Opening Annecy Presents in the non-competitive section, nWave’s latest title ‘Yugly’ makes its world premiere today at the festival’s main venue, Bonlieu.
NWave’s 12th feature, “Yugly,” is a heartwarming dog comedy that follows the world’s ugliest mutt as he dreams of achieving the impossible: competing in the prestigious Best in Dog Show. Along his journey, Yuguri meets canine companions and eccentric humans, with the secret hope of eventually finding his family.
Co-directed by Jeremy DeGrouson (Bigfoot Family, The Inseparables) and Yannis Bellide (A Night on the Seine) and written by Stuart Little screenwriter Greg Brooker, the CG-animated feature is a Belgian-French co-production of nWave and Octopolis, and produced by Matthew Zeller.
“It was a gamble for the studio to match two directors from different generations (nWave veteran Jeremy and an up-and-coming young filmmaker),” Zeller recalls, “and it paid off in spades. This film perfectly represents what nWave has long strived for: state-of-the-art CG animation matched to global industry standards, a uniquely European way of telling deep and heartfelt stories and bringing them to the big screen.” Yugly combines both, and we’re really happy that we were able to achieve this as a European studio. ”
DeGruson and Bereido feel the same way. Because they discovered their commonality (and love for dogs) through this seamless, compassionate production’s three-year journey. “We had a common language from the beginning,” DeGruson emphasizes. “Not only did we use pets as references, but we also had similar experiences and commonalities. That’s what allows the film to connect with the audience.”
This includes audiences across Europe, as nWave, which handles its own international sales, has unveiled a series of distribution deals across Europe, West Asia and Africa. Beyond the initial partners in France (SND) and Benelux (Independent Films), a number of other European markets are covered, including Spain (ACF), Scandinavia (Scanbox) and the Baltics (Ad Astra), while French and English-speaking Africa are split between Les Films 26 and Pathé.
Rights are currently available in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, North America, Latin America, Australia/New Zealand, and Asia excluding Vietnam and Mongolia.
Mr. Zeller, Mr. DeGruson and Mr. Bereido all praise the efforts of a dedicated team. With a crew of 150 working on the film and a budget of €25 million ($28.7 million), nWave Studios reached new heights with “Yugly,” keeping in mind its core values of bringing entertaining and heartfelt CG-animated stories to audiences around the world. “From the beginning we were involved in the writing process and helped shape the characters both narratively and visually,” adds Bereid. “And that allowed us to hone the dialogue and make every dog unique. Cinematically, we also had the opportunity to expand on the presentation, make it more cinematic, and push characters who don’t talk much. Up until now, nWave films tended to be all about snappy dialogue and talking protagonists. With Ugly, we took a ‘show, don’t tell’ approach, and that helped take the film to another level.” ”
Blending DeGruson’s experience with Beraid’s live-action indie references, the duo has created a family-friendly adventure with memorable characters, lush backdrops, and thrilling chase scenes as they travel from one setting to another in this larger-than-life journey. Critical help was provided by CG and scenery supervisor Christopher Grao and character design/storyboard artist Kevin Hermans.
“I think there was a lot of mutual respect between both duos,” Bereid emphasizes. “We had our own ideas, we talked about them, and they brought their ideas into the mix as well. At the end of the day, it’s important that we understand the challenges each of us face, what’s workable and what’s more complex. But in animation, we strongly believe that the best way to do it is for people to suggest ideas and to remain open.”
“There’s more to four heads than two heads,” DeGruson continues. “Creative input at the right time is always welcome, and in some cases it has allowed us to tweak and adapt the writing.”
Bringing Ugly to this A-list animation festival felt like the perfect fit for both directors, and we are deeply grateful to the festival team. Earlier this year, Annecy’s artistic director Marcel Jean praised Hugly’s heartwarming story and relatable characters.
“It feels great to be back in Annecy,” says DeGrouson, who performed “The Inseparables” at Bonlieu three years ago. “Over the past few years, we have included other films in this program, but it is a truly special honor to be able to screen this film that is dear to us as the opening film of Annecy Presents. For me, animation is about sharing values with both young audiences and adults. With “Ugly” we take this compassion and acceptance forward. If our films can bring happiness to children, and even to the general public, I will be a happy director.”
