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Why Annecy Has Become an Essential Stop on My Festival Calendar: It’s the World Capital of Animation
Over 65 years, the France-based Annecy fest has emerged as the world capital of animation — not in terms of production, but as a preeminent showcase.
When people ask me what my favorite film festival is, I know what they expect to hear: something upscale and exclusive, like Venice or Cannes, with their red carpet premieres and interminable standing ovations, where the winning filmmaker goes home with a golden something-or-other, be it a lion, a bear or the Palme d’Or. But a few weeks later in Annecy, you’ll find more Academy members in attendance, plus Disney/Pixar, Warner, Universal (which owns both Illumination and DreamWorks), Paramount/Nickelodeon and Netflix not only presenting new work, but also recruiting talent from screenings and networking events at the International Animation Film Market (or MIFA). At Annecy, animators are gods, recognized and applauded by the next generation of talent (this year’s honorees include “The Simpsons” creator Matt Groening, Oscar nominee Joanna Quinn and director Michel Gondry, who’ll screen his latest, “Maya, Give Me a Title”).
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