The Annecy Festival, a household name in the animation world since 1960, will be opening next Monday, on 12^th June. Over the course of six days, you can choose from the 230 films selected in the Official Selection, from over 500 screenings and some highly-anticipated sneak previews. Here’s a selection of some highlights that you won’t want to miss!

Opening Ceremony: Zombillenium with directors Arthur de Pins and Alexis Ducord

After revealing exclusive images from Zombillenium at the WIP Feature in 2016, it’s back this year in competition and it will also be presented at the Festival’s Opening Ceremony. Arthur de Pins decided to adapt his 3-volume comic book series into a film with the help of Alexis Ducord. Produced by Maybe Movies and Belvision, Zombillenium follows the story of an amusement park that’s run by real monsters. In order to keep a human named Hector from revealing the true identity of his employees, the vampire park manager has no choice but to hire him.
This offbeat animated feature will get the ball rolling for Annecy 2017!

MONDAY 12TH, 8:30 PM – Bonlieu Grande salle. Invitation required.

Screening Events

The Jungle Bunch, with Jean-François Tosti and David Alaux
TUESDAY 13^TH, 6 PM – Bonlieu Grande salle

Mutafukaz with director Guillaume Renard
TUESDAY 13^TH, 8:30 PM – Bonlieu Grande salle

Tall Tales from the Magical Garden of Antoon Krings with Antoon Krings (author and director) and Arnaud Bouron (co-director) adapted from the best-selling book series
WEDNESDAY 14^TH, 6 PM – Bonlieu Grande salle

DESPICABLE ME 3 with Pierre Coffin
WEDNESDAY 14^TH, 8:30 PM – Bonlieu Grande salle

Captain Underpants – The First Epic Movie with director David Soren
THURSDAY 15^TH, 4 PM – Bonlieu Grande salle

The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales with Benjamin Renner and Patrick Imbert
THURSDAY 15^TH, 8:30 PM – Bonlieu Grande salle

CARS 3 starting with never-before-seen first footage from COCO with Darla K. Anderson and co-director Adrian Molina followed by a premiere screening of LOU with Dave Mullins and producer Dana Murray
FRIDAY 16^TH, 10:00 AM-1:30 PM – Bonlieu Grande salle

Blame!
FRIDAY 16^TH, 8:30 PM – Bonlieu Grande salle

An Eclectic Competition

9 feature films in competition: In This Corner of the World, Ethel and Ernest, Big Fish & Begonia, Loving Vincent, A Silent Voice, Lou Over the Wall, Zombillenium, Animal Crackers and Tehran Taboo.

Meet up with the film crews at the press conferences for the feature films in competition.

DreamWorks@Annecy: Exciting Events

DreamWorks is coming back to Annecy with plenty of happenings! For example, Guillermo del Toro will pass down his savoir-faire to young professionals at the Mifa Campus. Also, his TV series Trollhunters is in competition and he’s going to be hosting a signing session for the Trollhunters book.

They’re also putting on two screenings – Kung Fu Panda 3 will be shown outdoors on the Pâquier and the French premiere of Captain Underpants – The First Epic Movie with producers Chris DeFaria and Bonnie Arnold, DreamWorks is treating festivalgoers with several unmissable moments!

Never-Before-Seen Shorts

The world’s most famous turtles are back in a brand-new short from Nickelodeon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Short "Strike Hard".
MONDAY 12^TH, 10:15 PM – The Pâquier > as an opener to Leap!

During the Closing Ceremony:

World premiere of Genndy Tartakovsky’s short Puppy!
The residents of Hotel Transylvania find their world turned upside-down when youngster Dennis gets a surprise monster-sized pet!

Also on the programme: Athleticus "Le Tennis de table" by Nicolas Deveaux, Two Snails Set Off by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Romain Segaud, Until We Coleidescape by Reinhold Bidner, La Dent by Guy Delisle and Erlking by Georges Schwizgebel (Honorary Cristal recipient).
SATURDAY 17^TH, 8:30 PM – Bonlieu Grande salle > Invitation required

And the Honorary Cristal goes to… Georges Schwizgebel

This year, the Annecy Festival is awarding the Honorary Cristal to Georges Schwizgebel, a leading figure in the Swiss animation scene.
Annecy has welcomed him on several occasions, notably as a jury member in 1983 and 2000. The Festival will celebrate Georges Schwizgebel’s work during the Closing Ceremony on Saturday 17^th June.

Erotic Animation: Tastes and Colours

The Festival is getting all hot and bothered with a programme structured around three themes:

GL(amour)

This section out of the special programme dedicated to animated erotica pays tribute to stars and glamour. Objects of desire and fantasies, the lives of celebrities are an endless source of fascination and intrigue. Celebrating every erotic dimension that emanates from show business and the entertainment industry.
MONDAY 12^TH, 11:00 PM – Bonlieu Petite salle
FRIDAY 16^TH, 9:30 PM – PATHÉ 3

Wet Dreams

The Wet Dreams section ventures into the very intimate world of dreams, focusing on animated representations of the erotic subconscious. Sneak into the private realm of dreams and fantasies with a selection of sensual shorts.
TUESDAY 13^TH, 9:30 PM – PATHÉ 3
THURSDAY 15^TH, 9:00 PM – Bonlieu Petite salle

La joie de vivre

An ode to animated representations of sexual desire with La joie de vivre section of the special programme dedicated to erotica. These fanciful and unconventional shorts can be seen as a declaration of love for ecstasy and pleasure.
WEDNESDAY 14^TH, 9:30 PM – PATHÉ 3
FRIDAY 16^TH, 9:00 PM – Bonlieu Petite salle

Annecy is rolling out the red carpet

Some VIPs lined up to visit the Festival this year: Guillermo del Toro, Carlos Saldanha, Go Nagai, Joann Sfar, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, musicians Mat Bastard, Gringe, Toxic avenger and actor Douglas Booth, who modelled and was a voice actor for the role of Armand Roulin in the feature film in competition Loving Vincent…