Brazilian Animation: A Selection of Titles at Annecy
By Emilio Mayorga
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – ANNECY, France— Annecy’s Brazil tribute looks like “the strongest showcase of the Brazilian animation sector at any festival ever,” says Brazilian Culture Minister Sergio Sá Leitão. Here’s a drill down on some – but just some – key titles.
‘ANGELI THE KILLER’ Coala Filmes
A TV series in competition with the episode “A Crazy Love’s Delirium,” directed by Cesar Cabral, two-time winner of the Cinema Brazil Grand Prize for his shorts “Tempestade” (also screening at Sundance) and “Dossiê Rê Bordosa.” Based on Arnaldo Angeli Filho’s graphic novel “Chiclete com Banana,” it offers mixed techniques of 2D, puppets, clay and live action.
‘BOB SPIT – WE DO NOT LIKE PEOPLE’ Coala Filmes
A spinoff feature of adult and teen demos-targeted TV series “Angeli The Killer,” “Bob” turns on an old punk who tries to escape a post-apocalyptic desert. Feature is scheduled for delivery at the end of 2019.
‘BOY TRANSCODED FROM PHOSPHENE’ Rodrigo Faustini
The Brazilian visual artist directs this non-narrative documentary, a Short Films Off-Limits entry. “A computer sees without eyes, an algorithm imagines,” according to the logline.
‘CABRITO & CHEWY’ Bits Filmes, Kid Glove
An 11-minute, 52 episode TV series depicting the misadventures and friendship of a goat, Cabrito, and Chewy the Chupacabra—a legendary creature from Latin American folklore. Produced by Gustavo Steinberg (“Tito and the Birds”) in co-production with Kid Glove.
‘COUNT ON ME’ 2DLab
A 5-minute 52 episodes TV series in production from Andrés Liebán’s 2DLab, whose “My Big Big Friend,” also present at Mifa, was sold to over 70 territories and is currently in its third season. In “Count On Me,” children play, while also experimenting, discovering and learning maths. Created by Peter Moss, a 2001 Daytime Emmy winner for “Arthur.”
‘DO RE MI FAIRIES’ Carnaval Filmes
João Vieira, Jr. and Nara Aragão are readying this pre-school 11-minute seg TV show about twin fairies, Lulu and Ana, who use music and sounds to encourage inquisitive kids to investigate their world. Vieira, Jr. was also a producer on Karim Aïnouz and Marcelo Gomes’ “I Travel Because I Have To, I Come Back Because I Love You,” which premiered at Venice and was the 2011 Cinema Brazil Grand Prize winner. In development.
‘GUAXUMA’ Les Valseurs, Damien Megherbi, Justin Pechberty, Vilarejo Films, Livia de Melo
Nara Normande (2014 Cannes’ Illy Prize-winning short “Sem Coração”) directs this competition short, co-produced with France, in which the narrator – who grew up near the beach in north-east Brazil – reflects back on happy memories.
‘JOREL’S BROTHER’ (“SPECIAL EJECT”) Copa Studio, Zé Brandão, Felipe Tavares, Cartoon Network, Marcio Sguilaro, Turner Broadcasting & Cartoon Network Latin America
A TV series in competition with the episode “Special Eject,” in which a giant birthday cake, a puppet and Japanese superheroes invade Japan after being ejected from a VCR. Directed by Juliano Enrico, whose credits include documentary “Touro Moreno.”
‘MONICA AND FRIENDS’ Mauricio de Sousa Produções
Directed by Marcos Saraiva and Daniela Vieira, this 7-minute 52 episodes series follows the adventures of Monica and her friends. The best-known creation of admired Brazilian cartoonist Mauricio de Sousa, Monica was the first animated character in the world to become an ambassador for Unicef. Broadcast on Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Tooncast in Latin America.
‘NIMUENDAJÚ’ Anaya, Promenades Films, Cine Zebra
Selected at the 2016 Mifa Pitches and 2017’s Annecy Goes to Cannes, producer-director Tania Anaya’s ” Nimuendajú ” chronicles the true life-story of 22-year-old German ethnologist Curt Unkel, who travelled to São Paulo in 1903 to live among the Guarani people. Baptized by them as Nimuendajú, or “one who has found his place in the world,” he dedicated his life to his passion for indigenous culture. A co-production with France and Germany.
‘ONLY A KID CAN DO!’ Boulevard Filmes
Produced by Leticia Friederich (Renata Pinheiro’s “Love, Plastic and Noise,” a Golden Maple winner at the Brazilian Film & Television Festival in Toronto), a kids 5-minute 26 episodes TV series following a child who loves pretending to be something else. In development.
‘OS SALTIMBANCOS’ Mar Filmes
Diane Maia and Joana Mariani’s company, the Brazilian distributor of Karim Aïnouz’s Berlinale-premiered “Central Airport THF,” produce a musical dramedy feature based on the Grimm brothers fairy tale “Town Musicians of Bremen.” When a donkey, a dog, a cat and a hen escape from their respective farms, they decide to go to the city as singers. Songs are written by Oscar winner Luis Bacalov (“Il Postino”). In development.
‘SILENCE IN TROUBLE’ Prieto Productions
Nominated for the Jabuti Award in 2016 and winner of Ancine’s Prodav prize for development, this feature is set in a not-too-distant universe called NoWhere and EveryWhere, where life was in harmony until the world’s silence is abducted by a monstrous noise. In development.
‘SONG FOR A HERO’ Estúdio Giz
Founded in 2014 by Aline Mazzarella, Matheus Peçanha and Thiago Yamachita, Estúdio Giz is in development on this movie about an orphaned bard who lives alone with his capybara – a giant South American rodent – and is willing to do anything to fulfill a dream of having his musical talent recognized worldwide.
‘THE FEATHER PILLOW’ Dois Plátanos Filmes
A Short Films Perspectives’ entry, in which Joseph Specker Nys’ puppets tell the story of Alicia, who is affected by a strange illness, and her indifferent husband, Jordan. Based on a tale by Uruguayan author Horacio Quiroga.
‘O ESTRANGEIRA’ (THE FOREIGNER) Filme de Papel, Buriti Filmes
A project at Mifa’s Animation du Monde pitching sessions. Directed by Luiz Bolognesi, director of the 2013 Annecy Cristal-winning “Rio 2096, a Story of Love and Fury”) and co-produced with his partner Alê Abreu, Academy Award-nominated for “Boy and the World.” ”Foreigner” tells the story of 13-year-old Helena, a girl who was kidnapped by indigenous Yanomami in the Amazon rainforest in 1936.
‘TITO AND THE BIRDS’ Bits Filmes
A family film directed by Gustavo Steinberg (“The End of the Line”), Gabriel Bitar (“Cidade Cinza”), and André Catoto (“Say I Am Only Seventeen”), world premiering in Annecy’s main competiton. ” Tito ” chronicles the adventures of a shy 10-year-old who lives with his mother, until the day a mysterious pandemic spreads across the country. Gustavo Kurlat and Binho Feffer (Alê Abreu’s “The Boy and The World”) composed the score. Indie Sales (“My Life as a Zucchini,” “Another Day of Life”) handles international rights.
‘UNRAVELLING THE OCEAN’S VEIL’ O2 Filmes, Francisco Teivelis
Co-produced by Brazilian powerhouse O2 Filmes, producer of Fernando Meirelles’ “City of God,” and featuring in Annecy’s “Animation in Brazil 2” showcase. “Veil” follows the fleeting existence of ocean critters during their 6-minute-long lives. Directed by Quico Meirelles (2013 Guadalajara short winner “Tastes Like Chicken?”).
‘WACKYLAND MONSTERLAND‘ 44 Toons
An 11-minute 26 episode show, already completed, in which a nine-year-old boy watches a town’s inhabitants undergoing strange transformations that somehow leave him unchanged. 44 Toons (“GadgetGang in Outer Space”) is run by director Ale McHaddo (2002 Cinema Brazil Grand Prize-winning short “A Lasanha Assassina”) and producer Stefanie Borges.
‘THE ADVENTURES OF FUJIWARA MANCHESTER’ UM Filmes
Producers Julia and Arnaldo Galvão are behind teens-targeting ‘Fujiwara,’ a sci-fi feature set in the 17th century, following a space adventurer and his friends Lydia and Kawi. Aboard their trusty spacecraft Horse Face, they set out to retrieve an ancient jewel that could lead to the destruction of the galaxy. In post.
‘JACK WORM’ Animaking Studios, Verité Entertainment
A family stop-motion feature from Paolo Conti about a retired and senile worm who suddenly learns he can talk to his alter ego in front of the mirror. Tasked with preventing a nuclear disaster, he must first recover his memory and rebuild his confidence. Camila Kauling co-produces alongside the U.S.-based Verité. In development.
