April 26th, 2024 
Lauren Ashton 
PARIS, France – Each year, the Annecy Internation Animated Film Festival features brilliant animated projects that enchant audiences around the world. The festival is known for hosting incredible emerging talent and trends in the field of animation, and this year will be no different as Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, and Disney Branded Television will release an exclusive selection of new work that will continue the company’s tradition of imaginative family entertainment.
Walt Disney Animation Studio has been a participant of the Annecy Festival since it was founded, and will once again be bringing some exciting sneak peeks to this year’s event. Disney will unveil a preview of MOANA 2, which will be presented by director Davee Derrick Kr. and co-director Jason Hand. Following the success of the original film, the musical sequel features characters Moana and Maui three years after we last saw them. After receiving a message from her voyager ancestors, Moana must journey through the dangerous deep seas of Oceania for a brand-new adventure.
This year’s festival will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1994 animated feature THE LION KING by hosting an open-air screening on Le Pâquier on June 14th. Mark Henn, the Disney Legend who served as the film’s supervising animator for Young Simba, will present the film. Disney France will also be coordinating a special screening of the film for the Annecy hospital, hoping to give children and staff the opportunity to experience “moments that matter to those who need it most”.
Festival goers will also have the chance to catch a special screening of the highly-anticipated INSIDE OUT 2, which will debut in French cinemas on June 19th this year. The feature returns to Riley, now a teenager, leading to HQ’s sudden destruction to make room for new emotions. Joy, Disgust, Sadness, Anger, and Fear have been running things smoothly when Anxiety appears- and unfortunately, she’s brought other new emotions: Envy, Ennui, and Embarrasment. Director Kelsey Mann and producer Mark Nielsen will be in attendance for the screening.
The creatives behind Disney Television Animation and Disney Junior will come together to present some exciting offerings as well.
On Tuesday, June 11th, a special program called “40 Years of Disney Television Animation: Past, Present, and Future” will explore how DTA has been creating remarkable animated family content since 1984. Meredith Roberts, executive vice president, Disney Television Animation; Rob LaDuca, executive producer “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” and the upcoming “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 2.0” (working title); Stevie Wermers-Skelton, supervising director “Monsters at Work;” Kevin Deters, executive producer “Monsters at Work;” Bruce W. Smith, creator and executive producer, “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder;” Ralph Farquhar, executive producer, “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder;” Dan Povenmire, co-creator and executive producer, “Phineas and Ferb” and “Hamster & Gretel;” and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, co-creator and executive producer, “Phineas and Ferb,” will lead the panel.
“Storytelling Through Music,” an additional panel a part of this year’s festival, will take place on Thursday, June 13th. Moderated by Jay Stutler, senior vice president, Music, the panel will be a conversation on the role music plays to spark joy in family content. The panel will feature Lynne Southerland, executive producer, “Disney Jr.’s Ariel;” Kay Hanley, executive producer and songwriter, “Kindergarten: The Musical;” Aliki Theofilopoulos, executive producer, “ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series;” Nic Small, creator, executive producer and songwriter, “Kiff;” and Chris Houghton, creator and executive producer, “Big City Greens.”
In addition, there will be an exclusive first look at the spooky comedy produced in France for Disney Branded Television, “The Doomies”. Made by Xilam Animation Studio, the preview will give a special sneak peek at the series during a Work In Progress session. Presented by Orion Ross, vice president, International Animation, Disney Branded Television, and Marc du Pontavice, series producer and CEO, Xilam, the panel will host series director and co-creator Andrès Fernandez, writer and co-creator Henry Gifford, animation director Lucie Arnissole, Xilam chief creative officer Caterina Gonnelli-Linden, and executive producer for The Walt Disney Company EMEA Calvin Dyson.
20th Television Animation, which is a part of Disney Television Studios, will also be joining the festival this year. The beloved show “Bob’s Burgers” will be present, in line with 20th Television Animation’s role as a leader of critically acclaimed adult animated content. The studio is currently producing more than a dozen animated projects across the realms of broadcast, cable, and streaming services, including the longest-running primetime scripted series in the history of television, “The Simpsons”.
This year, there will be an exciting panel titled “Bob’s Burgers: In Conversation with Creative Team Behind the Emmy-Winning Series.” Creator and Executive Producer Loren Bouchard will be featured alongside Director Bernard Derriman, Executive Producer Jannelle Momary-Neely and Supervising Director Simon Chong to discuss the making of this iconic series. This will all take place on Friday, Junee 14th Salle de la Volière.
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