La Grenadière
Using a new animation concept, Japanese filmmaker Kôji Fukada adapted La Grenadière, the short story of the same name written by Honoré de Balzac.
Even though La Grenadière is a film made by the Japanese director Kôji Fukada, it definitely has its place in Annecy’s tribute to French animation, as the filmmaker decided to make a screen version of a short story written by Honoré de Balzac, one of France’s greatest literary figures.
La Grenadière is a charming little house near the Loire River that Madame Willemsens has just rented. Trying to escape her past, she lives there with her two sons and housekeeper. Nobody knows anything about her. Only her sons’ tutors have access to the house and they speak about the family’s simple but happy life with admiration. However, this woman is suffering from a mysterious illness.
For this film, Toei Animation came up with a whole new animation technique called "ganime", which comes from the Japanese words "ga" meaning painting, and "nime", meaning animation. The process involves harmonising still pictures, paintings and photos to a story and music.
Why not check it out for yourself at the screening of this very sensitive anime?