French Animation: The Mirror Effect – Specials

TV specials are curious things. Unique by definition, they usually come in formats that are too long to be shorts and too short to be features. They’re often made to celebrate holidays like Christmas, Halloween or Easter.

Some of them have gone on to become classics like Robert O. Blechman and Christian Blackwood’s The Soldier’s Tale, Dianne Jackson and Jimmy T. Murakami’s The Snowman or Jacques-Remy Girerd’s Charlie’s Christmas.

This programme that was meant to pay tribute to this peculiar format is the chance to salute a big name in French animation, Serge Elissalde and two very productive production studios, Les Films de l’Arlequin and Je Suis Bien Content.

Also, the Annecy screens are delighted to welcome Cédric Babouche’s excellent Houdini that unfortunately, we had to pass over in the 2015 Official Selection as there was no room left in the competition.

These two specials will give you a taste of what TV production in France has to offer.