Annecy 2019: seven Swiss animation films in competition and SWISS FILMS at Mifa
Eight Swiss animation films are on this year’s programme of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival (June 10–15); seven of these films will be screened in competition sections. The Swiss coproduction LES HIRONDELLES DE KABOUL, which premiered in Cannes, will be screened in the Feature Film Competition. KIDS, SELFIES and THE FLOOD IS COMING were selected for the Short Film Competition, and two films from the Lucerne School of Art & Design for the Graduation Film Competition. SWISS FILMS will be present with a stand at Mifa, the world’s most important market for animation film.
07.06.2019
THE SWALLOWS OF KABUL KABOUL by Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec and Zabou Breitman, coproduced by Close Up Films from Geneva together with France, Luxemburg, and Monaco, celebrated its world premiere this year in the prestigious Un Certain Regard section at the Festival de Cannes and received critical acclaim in the trade papers. In Annecy, the Swiss coproduction will be screened in competition.
Three short films from Switzerland will be screened in the Short Film Competition. All three have already had a striking festival career. Michael Frei’s KIDS celebrated its premiere at the Berlinale (Generation 14plus) and was subsequently selected for the festivals Go Short in Nijmegen and Vienna Shorts, among others. The film will also be screened in June at ANIMAFEST in Zagreb, at the Hamburg International Short Film Festival and at the Huesca International Film Festival. SELFIES by Claudius Gentinetta has already been presented at numerous international festivals and garnered several awards, for example, the Swiss Film Award for Best Animation Film 2019 and Best Film Award at Filmets in Badalona, as well as two awards at Fantoche in Baden. Gabriel Böhmer’s THE FLOOD IS COMING premiered at the Kurzfilmtage Winterthur and was screened at the festivals in Clermont-Ferrand and Oberhausen, among others.
Swiss director Anja Kofmel, whose feature-length animated documentary CHRIS THE SWISS was screened in Annecy last year, is one of the three Contrechamp jury members, a new section for feature films.
Two short films from Hochschule Luzern in competition
No less than two short animation films from the Lucerne School of Art & Design (HSLU) will be screened in the Graduation Film Competition: Valentine Moser’s ELISE and Amélie Cochet’s SAMPLE TEXT.
While SAMPLE TEXT will celebrate its world premiere in Annecy, ELISE has already been screened at a number of festivals, including Fantoche in Baden, the Kurzfilmtage Winterthur and recently at the ANIFILM Festival in Trebon.
Nadasdy coproduction VANILLE in WiP programme
In the renowned Work in Progress programme, the Genevan production firm Nadasdy Film will present Guillaume Lorin’s VANILLE, which it coproduced with Folimage in France.
Nadasdy Film will be additionally represented with Zoltán Horváth’s animated short film CARCASSES ET CRUSTACÉS (1998) in the “Gastronomy: Soul Food” programme.
SWISS FILMS at Mifa
This year SWISS FILMS is present for the second time with its own stand (4.C06) from June 11-14 at the International Animation Film Market (Mifa), the world’s most important market for animation film. SWISS FILMS traditionally extends an invitation to its “Cocktail Suisse” networking event in Annecy, together with the partners RTS Radio Télévision Suisse, Groupement Suisse du Film d'Animation (GSFA), Lucerne School of Art & Design (HSLU), Fantoche, Animatou and the Consulate General of Switzerland in Lyon. Every year in conjunction with the festival, SWISS FILMS publishes an Animation Booklet, presenting new Swiss animation films and “Festival Favourites”, as well as films anticipating festival premieres in the coming months.
SWISS FILMS, June 7, 2019