Five projects under the spotlight at this year’s Animation Day

The 2024 Animation Day was held at Cannes’ Marché du film on 19 May. The event, set up by Annecy in partnership with German Films, hosted the much-anticipated Animation Showcase, followed by several talks and networking opportunities for the industry participants in attendance.

The showcase included five animated feature projects, going through various stages of post-production.

The first, The Conference of the Birds, is a co-production between France and Luxembourg led by Diabolo films, Mondex & Cie and Bidibul Productions. Helmed by Atiq Rahimi and Caroline Piochon, the premise sees the birds living in harmony in a paradise forest. When a disaster hits their home, Hod-Hod, an adventurous young hoopoe, embarks with her friends on a quest to find the legendary king of the birds: Simorgh, the only one who can help them.

Curiously, birds take centre stage again in Cynthia Fernandez Trejo’s The Language of Birds, a presentation by Mexico’s Cine Bandada. In it, Natalia, a bird-loving girl, moves to a new town with a deep mystery: the children have disappeared and the adults have forgotten about them.

Coming up next is Phuong Mai Nguyen’s In Waves. Staged by France’s Silex Film and Belgium’s Panique!, it zooms in on AJ, a shy teenager, who meets Kristen while in high school in Los Angeles. They fall in love and, as life seems to finally come together for AJ, Kristen’s life starts falling apart, shattered by illness.

Yoshitoshi Shinomiya’s A New Dawn follows three young people who overcome extreme weather conditions, disasters and environmental problems imposed on them and establish their own identities. The picture is co-produced by Japan’s Asmik Ace and France’s Miyu.

Finally, Estefanía Piñeres’ Mu-Ki-Ra, is set in a land haunted by monsters made of vegetation. Cleo will face her worst nightmare when her brother Martín is devoured by one. With the help of Iolo, a magical old lady, she will go to the jungle to the titular monster who took Martín, in order to perform a ritual to bring her brother back. Mu-Ki-Ra is produced by Colombia’s Letrario and Spain’s Abano Producions.