The beginning of 2023 augured well for the representation of French animation works, in all formats, in international film festivals.
MyFrenchFilmFestival
MyFrenchFilmFestival, an online-only French-language film festival organized each year by Unifrance, gave pride of place to animated films for its 2023 edition. There were six French works in the event's catalog, respectively five short films and one feature film:
- Anxious Body by Yoriko Mizushiri
- A Story for 2 Trumpets by Amandine Meyer
- Pests by Juliette Laboria
- Please Don't Touch by Capucine Gougelet
- The Night Watch by Julien Regnard
- La Traversée by Florence Miailhe
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival screened two French animated short films in the International Competition: Christopher at Sea by Tom CJ Brown and Inglorious Liaisons by Chloé Alliez and Violette Delvoye.
Göteborg Film Festival
The 2023 edition of the Göteborg Film Festival, which took place from 27 January through 2 February in Sweden presented two French animated features in the Voyage competitive section:
- Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Pierre Földes (screening at the same time in Rotterdam)
- Unicorn Wars by Alberto Vázquez, which has garnered many awards.
Rotterdam International Film Festival (IFFR)
IFFR 2023's French animation selection was eclectic. The Limelight strand included two feature films, namely No Dogs or Italians Allowed by Alain Ughetto and Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Pierre Földes. Two short films from France were also presented: The Great Arc by Camille Authouart in the Tiger Competition, and Onfim by Damien Tran in Special Programs. The VR work All Unsaved Progress Will Be Lost by Mélanie Courtinat was invited to participate in the Immersive Media strand.
Berlin International Film Festival
The 73rd edition of the Berlin International Film Festival was an opportunity for two French animated works to be in the spotlight. First, The Siren by Sepideh Farsi was presented in the Panorama strand. Then, the short film Luce and the Rock won the Best European Short Film for Children and Young Audiences Award, selected by members of the ECFA (European Children's Film Association) and announced at the EFCA Awards.
Miami Film Festival
Two French animated works were selected for the 2023 edition of the Miami Film Festival, which took place from March 3 through 12:
- Nayola by José Miguel Ribeiro
- Unicorn Wars by Alberto Vázquez, one month after its screening at Göteborg
South by SouthWest
Three French animation shorts were presented at the Festival Film & TV segment of South by SouthWest in Austin: A Tiny Man by Aude David and Mikaël Gaudin, Christopher at Sea by Tom CJ Brown, after screening at the Sundance Film Festival, and Ice Merchants by João Gonzalez, which nominated at the Oscars 2023.
Cartagena Film Festival (FICCI)
The 62nd edition of the Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena in Colombia presented audiences with an opportunity to see three French animated films, respectively two features and one short:
- No Dogs or Italians Allowed by Alain Ughetto, continuing its successful festival tour
- Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Pierre Földes, also enjoying huge success
- The Mechanics of Fluids by Gala Hernández López, continuing to pave its way in international events.
Short takes:
- OHLALÀ! presented Michel Ocelot's latest film The Black Pharaoh, the Savage and the Princess.
- The Alliance Française French Film Festival in Australia presented Michel Ocelot's film The Black Pharaoh, the Savage and the Princess among its selection.
- Unicorn Wars by Alberto Vázquez won the Goya Award for Best Animated Film .
