The annual Marché du Film, also known as the Cannes Film Market, is fast approaching (May 12 to May 20) and five animated features have been chosen for the Annecy Animation Showcase.

Marché du Film and the Annecy Festival have been joining forces for more than five years now to spotlight toons, starting with the launch of Animation Day in 2019. But this latest showcase is also a part of a broader Cannes Animation initiative this year, running from May 15 to May 17. The initiative will feature an expanded conference program and animation-focused panels relating to this year’s country of honor, Japan. 

It’s all part of the Cannes marketplace’s strategy to position itself as a key annual event for the animation industry, especially at a time when the medium is seeing more global momentum—from the unstoppable anime boom to the emergence of more breakout indie animated films.

The showcase is scheduled for May 17 at Palais K. Here are the five film projects in this year’s lineup:

Dog My Cats! (80 minutes, pictured)

Producer: Parmi les lucioles films, Kaïbou Production, UMEDIA
Director: Alain Gagnol
Country: France, Canada, Belgium
Delivery: 2027

This international co-pro is about two siblings who discover that their grandmother has a special gift: the ability to talk to cats and dogs. Dog My Cats! was also among the family features pitched at the 2024 edition of Cartoon Movie.

Hidari (90 minutes)

Producer: Dwarf Studios, Whatever, Tecarat
Director: Masashi Kawamura
Country: Japan
Delivery: 2029

One of the two projects hailing from the country of honor, Hidari already has some major buzz, thanks to its wood-based, stop-motion anime visuals and the revenge-driven tale of a samurai depicted in a pilot film that has generated around 5 million views on YouTube. 

Wasted Chef (119 minutes)

Producer: CLAP Studio
Director: Takayuki Hirao
Country: Japan
Delivery: 2027

The director-studio team behind Pompo: The Cinéphile are reuniting on this anime drama with a unique premise: a young chef finds himself in a ruined city where there is no taste, while his cooking helps bring back forgotten memories.  

Insectario (75 minutes)

Producer: Pimienta Films, Inicia Films
Director: Sofía Carrillo
Country: Mexico, Spain
Delivery: 2028

Also embracing stop-motion is the Spanish animated feature Insectario, which is set in a world where insects are extinct. The film explores what happens when a girl named Lexi notices that a moth she has preserved has come back to life.

Bataille (80 minutes)

Producer: Iliade et films, Les Astronautes, Embuscade Films, Altara Films, Umedia
Director: Vergine Keaton
Country: France, Canada, Italy, Belgium
Delivery: 2028

Likely the oldest-skewing film on the lineup, the 2D-animated co-production Bataille revolves around a battle near a small town during the Italian Renaissance, exploring complex themes about survival and the desire for victory.

(Featured image credit: Parmi les lucioles films)