Ranking first in Europe and third worldwide behind the US and Japan, as confirmed by the CNC’s annual study of the animation market, published yesterday (read it here), France is also the organiser of the biggest event dedicated to this fast growing genre, the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, the 43rd edition of which is set to run from 10 to 15 June with over 11,700 tickets sold so far. And the film which will open the festival, screened in a world premiere, exemplifies the huge ambitions of the French sector, given that Playmobil: The Movie by the American Lino DiSalvo was steered through production by Aton Soumache and Dimitri Rassam by way of ON Animation Studios (the Canadian arm of the Parisian group ON Kids & Family). 

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At the heart of the selection, which comprises 214 films hailing from 88 countries, are 10 feature films who will battle it out for the Cristal 2019. Standing tall amongst them are three French titles hot-footing it from Cannes; namely the Critics’ Week Grand Prix winner I Lost My Body [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Jérémy Clapin
scheda film] by Jérémy Clapin and two titles presented in the Un Certain Regard section: The Bears’ Famous Invasion of Sicily [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Lorenzo Mattotti
scheda film] by the Italian Lorenzo Mattotti and The Swallows of Kabul [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Zabou Breitman, Eléa Gobbe…
scheda film] by Zabou Breitman and Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec. Also in the running, Marona's Fantastic Tale [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by the Romanian Anca Damian, Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by the Spaniard Salvador Simó and the Danish box-office sensation Checkered Ninja [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by directing duo Anders Matthesen and Thorbjørn Christoffersen. Completing the line-up are three Japanese films (Ride Your Wave, The Relative Worlds et The Wonderland) and one which comes courtesy of China (White Snake).

Eight feature films will be gracing the new Contrechamp competition section, two of which are European productions: Away [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Gints Zilbalodis
scheda film] by Latvian Gints Zilbalodis and the French-Luxembourg title Zero Impunity [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] signed by Nicolas Blies, Stéphane Hueber-Blies and Denis Lambert.

Stepping outside the competitive arena (VR works, short films, TV films, etc.) and into the realm of special event screenings, we notably find The Prince’s Journey [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Jean-François Laguionie (who will, incidentally, be handed an Honorary Cristal by the festival organisers) and Xavier Picard, alongside Spycies [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Guillaume Ivernel. But attendees will also be treated to a presentation by Dreamworks of its upcoming works (including exclusive sneak-peaks), a tribute to Japanese animation and a Looney Tunes Cartoons seance organised by Warner.

The Work in Progress (WIP) selection, meanwhile, will give audiences a taste of Calamity : A Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Henri Magalon
scheda film] by French director Rémi Chayé, the animated documentary Flee [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Jonas Poher Rasmussen
scheda film] by Danish filmmaker Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Josep by Aurel (produced by France in league with Belgium and Spain), Klaus [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Sergio Pablos (a production between Spain and the US) and Even Mice Belong in Heaven [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by the Czech duo Denisa Grimmová and Jan Bubeníček.

This 2019 edition of the Annecy Festival will also feature an array of conferences, keynote speeches, Making Of presentations and Studio Focus sessions (chiefly Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Company, Netflix, etc.).

Between 11 to 14 June, nigh on 3,800 professionals (of which 490 buyers and distributers) will make a specific beeline towards the 29^th outing of MIFA: the International Animation Film Market,which clocks up record numbers of visitors year on year and which is introducing a few new items, including "Gap Financing: Meet the Producers" (eight titles in development or in production having 85% of their budget secured, notably featuring Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Pierre Földes
scheda film] by French director Pierre Földes, No Dogs or Italians Allowed [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Alain Ughetto
scheda film] by his fellow countryman Alain Ughetto, Icarus and the Minotaur by Luxembourg filmmaker Carlo Vogele and My Sunny Maad [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Michaela Pavlátová
scheda film] by Czech director Michaela Pavlátová). Other major events taking place at the market include the Pitches (featuring, among others, the French projects Sorya by Denis Do, Sirocco et le Royaume des courants d’air by Benoît Chieux and Tistou les pouces verts by Amandine Taffin, but also La bambina di sale by Italian filmmaker Angela Conigliaro), Territory Focus sessions, Mifa Campus classes (led this year by the Irish director and producer Nora Twomey) and press conferences with French studios and TV channels. A final mention goes to the Mifa Animation Industry Award 2019 which will this year be handed to Marc du Pontavice (Xilam Animation).