Overview
- Illumination’s Minions & Monsters will have its world premiere as Annecy’s opening film and serves as the high‑profile studio launch that anchors the festival program.
- Major U.S. studios and streamers are staging preview events and first‑looks at Annecy, with Universal, DreamWorks, Disney, Warner Bros. and Pixar all showing new footage or work‑in‑progress.
- The conversation on artificial intelligence has shifted from public protest to negotiated, ethics‑focused partnerships, exemplified by Banijay’s deal with Toon Boom that allows testing of tools while excluding Banijay content from AI training.
- MIFA is highlighting reimagined IP and cross‑platform storytelling through a new Cross IP Area and studio promotions such as Netflix’s Steps, reflecting a market push for games, webtoons and immersive tie‑ins.
- China’s animation industry is gaining global attention with box‑office hits and two films in Annecy’s competition, a trend that raises new export opportunities for Chinese creators while independent animators face tighter funding and changing youth tastes.