A Classy European Affair Turns 25

The 2023 edition of Cartoon Movie offers a rich collection of auteur-driven titles and crowd-pleasing family fare.

There are two universal truths about Cartoon Movie, the European animated feature confab which takes place March 7-9 in Bordeaux: There is something for any animation taste, and nobody is able to see everything by the time they go home!

This year’s 25th edition, showcases 58 new titles — 27 of which are produced by French studios and entities. Germany is next in line with seven projects, followed by Spain with five, Italy with four, Belgium with three, Denmark and the Netherlands with two each and single projects from Armenia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine. Of the 58 features, 27 are in development, 20 are in concept, three are in production and eight will be offering sneak previews. Thirteen of this year’s selections are aimed at young adult or adult audiences, with the rest targeted at kids and families.

According to the organizers, since its launch in 1999, 434 movies have found financing at the pitching and co-production event. That’s quite impressive, given the fact that the films represent a total budget of €2.85 billion.

As Cartoon’s general director Annick Maes points out, “Twenty-five editions of Cartoon Movie means a long list of iconic films, and European and international successes, including: Kirikou, Niko and the Way to the Stars, The Triplets of Belleville, Persepolis, The Secret of Kells, Shaun the Sheep, My Life as a Courgette, I Lost My Body, Ernest & Celestine, Loving Vincent and Another Day of Life, among so many others. We have had the immense pleasure of welcoming directors such as Michel Ocelot, Patrice Leconte, Ari Folman, Fernando Trueba, Anca Damian, Tomm Moore and Ben Stassen. Cartoon movie is also renowned for nurturing new European talent. Now, we are happy to look back and contemplate what has been accomplished in 25 years and to note that so much has been realized to create a European animation industry around feature films.”

This year’s edition also features a special spotlight on Ukrainian animation and talent, including a look at the upcoming project by Animagradt Studio/Film.UA Group, Roxelana, directed by Oleg Malamuzh. “We would like to pay tribute to all the artists, creators, producers who are now living and working against all odds to protect their lives, their art, their industry,” says Maes. “By standing together, we wish to reinforce the bond that unites all members of the animation family and to keep hope in a better future.”

Attendees will be able to feast their eyes on the latest from some acclaimed directors:

Spansish helmer Alberto Vázquez will present this follow-up to this 2022 anti-war movie film Unicorn Wars with Decorado, based on his own Goya-awarded short film. Hugo de Faucompret (Mum Is Pouring Rain) will present Round and Round the Wishing Well, Cédric Babouche (creator of the interactive game Dordogne) will bring Long Time a Girl, Léo Marchand & Anne-Laure Daffis (The Neighbors of My

Neighbors Are Neighbors of Mine) will introduce The Roman of Renart, Coppelia trio Ben Tesseur, Steven De Beul & Jeff Tudor will bring Still Life at the Penguin Café and Jens Møller (Ogglies) will deliver Yap Yap – The Secret Forest Live-action director

Guillaume Gallienne presents his first animated project, Cyrano Among the other highlights are Dragonkeeper, the new Spanish-Chinese co-pro directed by Salvador Simó, (Bunuel In The Labyrinth Of The Turtles) and Li Jianping (Journey to the West), Mette Tange and Benjamin Quabeck’s Richard the Stork 2, Laurent Nicolas’s Lascars 2: Family Business , Xavier Giacometti’s Yakari 2, Guillaume Gallienne’s Cyrano and Roberto Saviano’s I’m Still Alive, TeamTo’s Ninn, and Cartoon Saloon’s upcoming movie Julian.

In short, it will be a 25th anniversary for the books! ◆

For more information about all the titles, visit cartoon-media.eu/movie