Through a story of friendship between four children from different backgrounds and communities in Algiers in 1955, Our Summer of Freedom traces the beginnings of the Algerian War of Independence in an animated series with universal appeal. Co-written by novelist Alice Zeniter and directed by Antoine Colomb, it follows the adventures of this group of children, magnified by a colorful and luminous aesthetic.
Playful for children and captivating for parents, the series is designed to raise awareness among young audiences, and opens up a space for family dialogue about a still-taboo period in History.
To mark the Animation Month, production company Darjeeling and the MIAM! Animation team look back at the series' origins and ambitions, as well as its international reach.
Unifrance: How did the Our Summer of Freedom project come about, and how did your collaboration with co-screenwriter Alice Zeniter [author of the award-winning novel The Art of Losing] begin?
Darjeeling: The Our Summer of Freedom project was conceived at France Télévisions, which wanted to tackle historical subjects following the success of the series The Long, Long Holiday. During our discussions with the youth teams, the idea of telling the story of Algeria quickly emerged. It seemed obvious to us to ask Alice Zeniter to participate in the project. The Art of Losing had made a deep impression on us with the accuracy and power of its narrative. Despite her busy schedule at the time, she accepted immediately.
The animated series depicts Algeria at the dawn of independence, from a child's perspective. Did you want to raise awareness among today's children about this still taboo period in history in a playful way?
D: Exactly! We wanted to raise children's awareness of this period, which is still rarely discussed. The idea was to throw a spotlight on events without directly showing the violence of war, while opening up a space for dialogue beyond the official narratives.
In addition, the series is available on Lumni.fr with a collection of six 5-minute educational modules entitled “Our Summer of Freedom, Tell Me About Algeria" Through the lens of the main characters, the story of each one's origins is retraced and, through them, the different waves of migration that populated Algeria.
The series' subject matter gives it intergenerational appeal. Was it also your intention for it to be watched by families and spark discussion?
D: That was essential. We worked to ensure that the series could be watched by families and provoke conversations. It worked: we received a lot of feedback from grandparents who, thanks to Our Summer of Freedom, were finally able to talk about this period with their children and grandchildren.
The depiction of the city of Algiers in the 1950s is a central setting in the series. How did you go about recreating a vision that is both realistic and magnified?
D: To recreate Algiers in the 1950s, the graphics team led by Élodie Remy drew on photographic and video archives, as well as eyewitness accounts. The aim was to recreate the atmosphere, the feel and the unique architecture of the city.
Our Summer of Freedom conveys humanistic values such as tolerance, brotherhood, and justice. Would you say that this gives it universal appeal, capable of touching children around the world?
MIAM! Animation: Absolutely! Our Summer of Freedom carries a universal message embodied by our four young heroes, who come from different communities and become best friends. In a divided Algiers, these children overcome their cultural, political, and social differences to embark on a great adventure together. It's a decidedly contemporary story about friendship, acceptance, and living together. It will particularly resonate with children growing up in cosmopolitan cities, in environments rich in cultural diversity
The selection of the series in Competition at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in 2024 gave it great international visibility. Could you tell us about its journey abroad? Do you have any other international ambitions for the series?
M.A.: Our Summer of Freedom has won over international broadcasters such as RAI (Italy) for distribution on their RAIplay platform, RTS (Switzerland), DR (Denmark), TFO (Canada), and TV5MONDE (French-speaking world). The series has also received numerous awards and festival nominations, including the 2025 Magnolia Award for Best Screenplay (Shanghai) and a nomination at the 2024 Annecy Festival in the TV category.
Darjeeling is now considering creating a 90-minute format based on the series. This additional format would allow us to broaden Our Summer of Freedom’s audience through possible theatrical releases, broadcasts in TV slots dedicated to feature films, and launches on cinema sections of streaming platforms worldwide.
In connection with this news
Events(1)
Annecy International Animation Film Festival - 2025
Feature film and short film festival
France
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