Animation Is Film Festival Sets Competition Lineup

The new Animation Is Film festival has unveiled its preliminary competition lineup and jury for its first edition, which runs October 20-22 at the TCL Chinese 6 Theaters in Hollywood. The fest will present a selection of new animated feature films from Asia, Europe, South America and North America along with filmmaker Q&As, special events and both juried and audience prizes.

Variety chief film critic Peter Debruge will chair the 2017 jury, which includes Allison Abbate, Warner Bros’ EVP Theatrical Animation and producer (The Iron Giant, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Lego Movie); Bonnie Arnold, DreamWorks Animation producer (Toy Story, How To Train Your Dragon); director Jorge R. Gutiérrez (Book of Life); film critic and historian Charles Solomon; and Landmark Cinemas head film buyer Mabel Tam.

Additional jurors will be announced down the line.

Animation Is Film is produced by Gkids in partnership with Annecy International Animation Film Festival and Variety, with sponsors and media partners including Google and Fathom Events. The full lineup will be announced and tickets will be on sale September 20.

Here are the first films in the lineup:

COMPETITION

THE BIG BAD FOX & OTHER TALES (US Premiere)
Directors Patrick Imbert, Benjamin Renner, France, 2017
Benjamin Renner received an Oscar® nomination for Ernest & Celestine

BIG FISH AND BEGONIA (North American Premiere)
Directors Liang Xua, Zhang Chun, China, 2016

BIRDBOY: THE FORGOTTEN CHILDREN (Los Angeles Premiere)
d. Alberto Vázquez & Pedro Rivero, Spain, 2015
Best Animated Feature 2017 Goya Awards

THE BREADWINNER (U.S. Premiere)
d. Nora Twomey, Ireland/Canada, 2017
Nora Twomey was co-director of the Oscar®-nominated The Secret of Kells

LU OVER THE WALL (North American Premiere)
d. Masaaki Yuasa, Japan, 2017
Cristal Award Winner Annecy International Animation Film Festival

MARY AND THE WITCH’S FLOWER (North American Premiere)
d. Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Japan, 2017
Hiromasa Yonebayashi received an Oscar® nomination for When Marnie Was There

TEHRAN TABOO (North American Premiere)
d. Ali Soozandeh, Germany, 2017
Official Selection 2017 Cannes Film Festival

ZOMBILLENIUM (North American Premiere)
d. Arthur de Pins & Alexis Ducord, France, 2017
Special Screening 2017 Cannes Film Festival