Annecy Gets ‘Spider-Verse,’ ‘Puss in Boots’ Footage and ‘Lightyear,’ and Unveils Festival Lineup
variety.comJohn Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentTwo of the most awaited European animation films of the year – Alberto Vázquez’s “Unicorn Wars” and Pierre Foldes’ “Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman” – look set to world premiere in competition at France’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the biggest animation festival in the world.Sneak peeks at Annecy’s Work in Progress strand, its industry cornerstone, include Cartoon Network’s “Unicorn: Warriors Eternal,” from legendary U.S.
director Genndy Tartakovsky (“Samurai Jack”).Announced Monday evening in Paris’ CNC state film agency by Annecy director Mickaël Marin and artistic director Michel Jean, this year’s festival is deigned as fully-fledged return to the on-site encounters and in-person discovery which is the soul of Annecy, Marin emphasized, picturing the festival as “composed of encounters and sharing, to once again spark that movie theater throb.” 2022’s Annecy Festival, which runs June 13-18, also reflects “the vitality of animation and the outstanding development of worldwide production over the course of the past few years,” Jean maintained at the Paris press conference.Hollywood looks set to be out in force, Annecy featuring first footage unveils of “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” from DreamWorks Animation, and “Ernest and Celestine, a Trip to Gibberitia,” from Didier and Damien Brunner’s famed Paris-based Studio Folivari.Walt Disney Animation Studios will present what is described as a “look ahead” to “Strange World,” its fantastical land-set action adventure from Don Hall (“Big Hero 6”) as Jennifer Lee, the Oscar-winning director-writer of “Frozen,” receives Annecy’s Honorary Cristal.Pixar Animation Studios will.
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