Toons boom across the Croisette this year, with colorful features opening Critics’ Week, closing Directors’ Fortnight, and appearing across nearly every section — further cementing Cannes’ status as a premier launchpad for animated cinema.
Cannes’ position now feels secure, though its rise has been unusually fast. Earlier breakouts like “My Life as a Zucchini” (2016) “Mirai” (2018) and” I Lost My Body” (2019) ushered sophisticated international fare into awards conversations, even as programers were slower to seize on those gains. As recently as 2023, two local producers unions authored an open letter criticizing Cannes for not programing a single animated title in its main selections.
“We needed visibility and recognition,” says Miyu Prods. founder Emmanuel-Alain Raynal, who chaired the French independent producers union at the time. “I’m not saying that letter changed everything, but there was definitely a moment when the French industry united around the idea that animation needed to be more present at Cannes.”
The response was swift, reinforced by market momentum. The following year, “The Most Precious of Cargoes” landed in competition, while “Flow” emerged from Un Certain Regard to become a global breakout, drawing 8.2 million admissions worldwide and winning the Oscar, setting a new benchmark for European animation. Those successes helped open the floodgates for 10 animated titles premiering this year.
