The spring season brought its share of awards for French animations at general-interest festivals around the world, notably at Cannes Critics' Week, where the animated short Ice Merchants by João Gonzalez won the Leitz Cine Discovery Prize.
The Cannes Film Festival also saw the presentation of the 20th Unifrance Short Film Award. Among the 11 animated shorts in competition, 4 received a prize or Special Jury Mention: the Grand Action Prize was given to Freedom Swimmer by Olivia Martin-McGuire, while the Movistar + Prize went to Seniors 3000 by Julien David. And last but not least, Little Smasher by Gilles Cuvelier and Skinned by Joachim Hérissé were both honored with Special Jury Mentions.
Recent months have also been marked by a large number of French animated films selected at festivals in the four corners of the globe.
Francia está en pantalla festival
Around the World in 80 Days by Samuel Tourneux was screened at the first edition of the Francia está en pantalla event, held in Madrid, which presented a selection of premieres of French films and TV series along with meetings between industry professionals from France and Spain, organized by Unifrance and the French Embassy in Spain.
BIFAN
South Korean audiences had the opportunity to discover Dragon Princess by Anthony Roux and Jean-Jacques Denis, presented in competition in the Odd Family section at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN).
Guadalajara International Film Festival
The Guadalajara International Film Festival shone a spotlight on French animations this year, with its two awards dedicated to animation given to (partially) French films: Nayola, directed by José Miguel Ribeiro won the award for Best International Animated Feature Film, while the Best International Animated Short Film went to Ice Merchants by João Gonzalez. The Island by Anca Damian completed this outstanding French presence in the festival's competitions focusing on animation.
Huesca International Short Film Festival
The 2022 Huesca International Short Film Festival offered Spanish audiences a large selection of French films:
- Flowing Home by Sandra Desmazières
- Miracasas by Raphaëlle Stolz and Augusto Zanovello
- The Night Watch by Julien Regnard
- The Soloists by Mehrnaz Abdollahinia, Feben Elias Woldehawariat, Razahk Issaka, Celeste Jamneck, Liu Yi
- Pieceful Day by Gabrielle Mouret
- Yallah ! by Nayla Nassar, Édouard Pitula, Renaud De Saint Albin, Cécile Adant, Anaïs Sassatelli, Candice Behague
- Freedom Swimmer by Olivia Martin-Mcguire
At the festival's closing ceremony, the Franco-Swiss film Miracasas was awarded the Jinete Iberico Animation International Award.
Grenoble Open-Air Short Film Festival
For the 45th edition of the Festival du Film court en Plein air de Grenoble, 15 French animated shorts featured in the Official Competition and the Young Audiences Competition. Among them, 3 titles were honored with awards: Two Sisters by Anna Budanova won the Unifrance Award in the Official Competition and the Bref Cinéma Mention, while the Young Audience Prize was given to Tales of the Salt Water by Tamerlan Bekmurzayev, Antoine Carré, Rodrigo Goulão De Sousa, Alexandra Petit, and Martin Robic, and I'm Late by Sawako Kabuki picked up a Jury Mention.
New Horizons International Film Festival
3 French animated features were presented to Polish audiences at the 2022 edition of the New Horizons International Film Festival in the Young Audiences section: Calamity by Rémi Chayé, Even Mice Belong in Heaven by Jan Bubenicek and Denisa Grimmová, and Yakari, A Spectacular Journey by Xavier Giacometti.
Fantasia International Film Festival
This year's Fantasia International Film Festival offered considerable visibility to French animated productions, with a selection including around 20 French works in a range of formats. 3 feature films competed in the Axis Competition: Opal by Alan Bidard, Dragon Princess by Anthony Roux & Jean-Jacques Denis, and My Grandfather's Demons by Nuno Beato. The event also presented a French TV special program (Louise et la légende du serpent à plumes by Hefang Wei) and 17 animated shorts spread across the various competitive sections.
Locarno Film Festival
French animations will once again charm Swiss audiences, young and old, at the upcoming 75th edition of the Locarno Film Festival, which will take place from August 3 through 13, 2022. No Dogs or Italians Allowed by Alain Ughetto features in the Piazza Grande Out-of-Competition section, while the short film L’Ombre des papillons by Sofia El Khyari will be presented in the Pardi di Domani competition, and Bombay Rose by Gitanjali Rao, Dragon Princess by Anthony Roux & Jean-Jacques Denis, and Yuku and the Flower of the Himalayas by Arnaud Demuynck & Rémi Durin will be screened in the Locarno Kids section.
Short takes:
- Icarus by Carlo Vogele featured in the Young Audiences section at the Brussels international Film Festival
- Icarus were presented in the Youth section at NIFFF 2022. Wet, the short film directed by Marianne Bergeonneau, Lauriane Montpert, Cloé Peyrebrune, Mélina Mandon and Elvira Taussac, was also in the International Short Film Competition at this event.
- Israeli audiences had the chance to discover Little Nicholas - Happy as Can Be by Amandine Fredon & Benjamin Massoubre at the Jerusalem Film Festival
- The Crossing by Florence Miailhe and Where Is Anne Frank by Ari Folman will be screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival, to be held in a hybrid format throughout the month of August.
- The short film by Tom CJ Brown, Christopher at Sea, will be presented in the Orrizonti Competition at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival.
