Luxembourg is on top again in Annecy!
Le International Animation Film Market (MIFA) in Annecy is the must-attend annual event for all professionals in the global animation sector, with over 13,200 accredited visitors from 106 countries. It's an opportunity for them to make themselves known and to benefit from international visibility. In the heart of the Exhibitors' Area, the entire animation industry comes together: professionals, creators, directors, artists, technicians, students and the press. It is in this space that the Film Fund will be present for the 23e This time with a promotional stand hosting some fifteen animation companies (production, studios and service providers) from the country, all of whom have come to meet its players to exchange ideas, network and find co-production partners.
As part of our presence in Annecy, we held the traditional "speed dating" meetings between students from the BTS in Animation Design from the Lycée des Arts et Métiers as well as Bachelor's degree in animation drawing from the University of Luxembourg and Luxembourg animation professionals. Students had the opportunity to showcase their talents and skills with a view to an internship or recruitment. This year 13 candidates are looking for a job as an animator in the studios in Luxembourg.
In addition, the Fund organised the traditional Francophone Animation co-production meeting with its partners from the SODEC - Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (Canada), from Wallonie Bruxelles Images (Belgium) and Swiss Films (Switzerland).
Finally, in Annecy, the Film Fund signed an agreement for 2023 with the French department of Charente and the Walloon Wallimage Fund - at the initiative of the Pôle Image Magelis - giving concrete form to a new incentive for the writing of animated film and audiovisual works.
The intention is to work together to support cross-border scriptwriting projects for feature films or animated series. This cooperation will take the form of a 3-week residency in October 2023, with one week in each signatory territory of the protocol for each selected writer. This agreement is for the year 2023 and may be renewed in subsequent years. The budget allocated for this first year is 30,000 euros, shared equally between the signatories to the agreement.
Pm. 6 Luxembourg co-productions were selected for Annecy:
Kensuke's Kingdom (Melusine Productions) and La Sirène (Bac Cinema) in Official Competition
Nina and the secret of the hedgehog (Doghouse Films) in Official Selection Out of Competition (event screening).
This is my heart (a_BAHN), Slocum (Melusine Productions) and In the dark and mysterious forest (Zeilt Productions) in the official "Work in Progress" selection.
The festival has also chosen to screen 3 films supported by the Film Fund and which are still being exhibited: Le Petit Nicolas - What are we waiting for to be happy? (Bidibul Productions), winner of the Cristal in 2022 at Annecy; Icare (Iris Productions). Mr Hublot (Zeilt Productions), Oscar winner for Best Short Film in 2014 will also be among the films shown as part of a special event.
The winners of the festival's competition will be announced on the evening of Saturday 17 June, and we'll find out who succeeds Le Petit Nicolas, last year's best film!
