Today, the Annecy International Animation Film Festival begin in France. During this week, Disney is hosting several events showcasing some of their upcoming titles, including “Elemental”, “Wish”, “Win Or Lose”, and much more.

Unlike in previous years during the pandemic, when presentations were virtual, the film festival is now back to being an in-person event, so unfortunately, those of us not in Annecy, we won’t be able to watch from home, but expect to hear about plenty of updates on both known and unknown properties in the week ahead, as Disney will no doubt be announcing some new interesting things at the event from its animated studios during or shortly after some of the in-person events.

Disney is going to be sending many of its talented creators to the event in Annecy, including Walt Disney Animated Studios Creative Director Jennifer Lee, animator Eric Goldberg and the “Phineas and Ferb” creators, Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh.

The events artistic director Marcel Jean said in a statement about the event:

“[This year marks] the most important U.S. presence ever at Annecy.  We’re taking in historical players such as Disney, DreamWorks and Pixar who will still come, as well as global platforms such as Netflix, Paramount, and Warner Bros. Discovery. And [we’re welcoming] a number of big titles.”

Here’s a look at a few of the highlights from the programme:

Note: This is subject to change, and times are based on the Central European Summer Timezone.

The Next 100

Tuesday 13 June 2023 from 17:45 PM

Get an exclusive first look at the next chapter in Disney’s history at this unique conference.

The teams from Disney Branded Television (which includes Disney Television Animation and Disney Junior) and Disney EMEA Original Productions will be at Annecy to exclusively reveal their latest news and upcoming animated series releases for kids and family audiences that will usher in the next century of Disney storytelling.

The presentation will include the announcement of new originals and a new series inspired by a well-known Disney property.

Elemental

Friday, June 16th at 10:00 AM

Attend the premiere screening of “Elemental”, the original new Disney•Pixar film! Pixar Animation Studios will also present an early look at never-before-seen materials from its first-ever original series “Win or Lose” coming soon to Disney+.

Walt Disney Animation Studios Presents “Wish”

Friday, June 16th at 14:00 PM

Your inner child will be awestruck! Join the iconic Jennifer Lee for exclusive details about Wish, the upcoming Christmas film from Disney!

From Artist to Director at Walt Disney Animation Studios

Tuesday, June 13th at 14:15 PM

Join Walt Disney Animation Studios Directors Dan Abraham and Trent Correy for a unique opportunity to hear about how their individual career journeys in Story and Animation have led to creative collaborations on animated short films.

Learning the Ropes: A Guide to Creating the Next Big Disney Hit

Tuesday, June 13 at 9:00 AM

Emmy Award winners Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh from Phineas and Ferb, the most successful animated series for Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14 in Disney Television Animation history, which was recently announced will be returning with 40 all-new episodes will be joined by up-and-coming creatives from Disney Branded Television’s new animated series, including Kiff Creators/Executive Producers Lucy Heavens and Nic Smal; SuperKitties Writer/Producer Sarah Mullervy; and upcoming Primos Creator/Executive Producer Natasha Kline, to discuss what goes into the making of a global hit animated series for kids and families.

Moderated by Emily Hart, Senior Vice President, Animation Development, Disney Branded Television.

Building on Legacy

Wednesday, June 14 at 14:00 PM

Join the creative teams behind some of Disney Branded Television’s acclaimed and highly anticipated animated series as they talk about expanding beloved Marvel, Disney Television Animation and Disney Animation properties and entertaining a whole new generation of fans.

The panel will feature Creator/Executive Producer Bruce W. Smith and Executive Producer Ralph Farquhar from the groundbreaking animated series The Proud Family and its Emmy-Award winning revival The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder; Supervising Producer Rodney Clouden and Producer Pilar Flynn from Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, based on Marvel’s hit comic books; and the showrunner behind a brand-new animated series inspired by a well-known Disney Animation property that will be unveiled during this year’s Festival.

Moderated by Alyssa Sapire, Senior Vice President, Development, Series and Strategy, Disney Junior.

Disney Branded Television Acquisitions and Partnerships

Wednesday, June 14 at 16:00 PM

Come and discover the projects and programs sought by Disney Branded Television.  Sourcing quality kids and family content that supports and builds upon the Disney Branded Television brands for D+ and linear platforms which includes authentic and diverse characters through emotional storytelling with a touch of Disney magic. Our content should celebrate families and inspire curiosity for more.

“Star Wars: Visions” – Behind the Scenes of “Screecher’s Reach,” “In the Stars,” and “The Spy Dancer”

Tuesday 13 June 2023 – 13 June 2023 from 11:30

Discover the first images and a few shooting secrets of the Star Wars: Visions series of short films and embark on an intergalactic journey across nine studios from around the world!

Join Paul Young from Cartoon Saloon, Gabriel Osorio from Punkrobot and Julien Chheng from Studio La Cachette as they share an inside look into the making of their Star Wars: Visions short films Screecher’s Reach, In the Stars, and The Spy Dancer. Star Wars: Visions Volume 2, which was released on Disney+ on May 4, 2023, features short films by nine studios from around the globe. Each short features animation styles from a variety of countries and cultures, depicting each filmmaker’s specific vision of the Star Wars galaxy.

Fantasia 2000

Friday 16 June 2023 from 22:15 PM

With family or friends, experience a purely magical moment at the open-air screening of this classic animation film!

Here are some details on some other presentations connected with Disney:

BBC Studios Kids & Family Studio Focus present “Bluey”

Thursday 15 June 2023 from 16:30 PM

Join the key creatives behind cherished Aussie kids’ hit Bluey, as they talk through their creative journey from the initial idea to Emmy-winning international phenomenon.

The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story

Monday 12 June 2023 from 11:30 AM

Attend the launch of the program “Leading and Empowering New Storytellers” (LENS) by Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks. A must-see!

Nimona

Wednesday 14 June 2023 from 18:00 PM

Attend the premiere screening of Nimona and discover an epic adventure set in a futuristic medieval world!

There is no doubt going to be lots of information revealed at the Annecy Film Festival from Disney’s animated studios this week, especially from the Next 100 presentation on Tuesday afternoon.    It’s also worth setting expectations correctly, the focus of this event is mainly on the Disney Branded TV and European/Middle East/Africa-made content, so it’s unlikely we will hear about Marvel, Star Wars or 20th Television animated shows.

The Annecy Film Festival is going to be attended by thousands of guests, including creators, the press and many more.  We will be sharing any details from the event throughout the week.

What are you hoping to see revealed this week?

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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