BADEN, Switzerland — Inspired by Dolly Parton’s country hit ‘9 to 5,’ the 23rd Fantoche International Animation Film Festival is centring its film and supporting programme around the theme of work, with a geographical focus on Estonian animation. Running Sept. 2–7, the festival will show current feature films and 66 short films in competition — and for the first time ever, the Best Film in the International Competition will have the chance to qualify for an Oscar. Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider will attend the opening evening.
Following its world premiere in Cannes, the animated film ‘Little Amélie or the Character of Rain’ will open Fantoche on Sept. 2 in the presence of director Maïlys Vallade. Adapted from Amélie Nothomb’s autobiographical novel, the film follows two-year-old Amélie as she begins to discover her place in the world. The festival will present 16 current feature films in all, including the Swiss co-productions ‘Mary Anning,’ by Ticino director Marcel Barelli, and ‘Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake,’ as well as the Australian debut ‘Lesbian Space Princess,’ by Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese.
Sixty-six short films will compete in the International, Swiss, and Kids Film competitions, with a further 23 in the ‘Panorama’ showcase. The “9 to 5” theme runs throughout the programme — from ‘Chun Tae-Il,’ about a South Korean trade unionist, to ‘Piercing I,’ a portrait of two unemployed people in Beijing. The spotlight on Estonia includes an artist talk by Oscar-nominated director Sander Joon (‘Sierra’) on Industry Day, Sept. 4.
Additional highlights include the new “Midnight Snack” strand of quirky late-night shorts, the world premiere of all 26 of Nicolas Mahler and Stefan Holaus’s ‘One Minute Movies,’ and a tribute to Japanese puppet animator Kihachirō Kawamoto on what would have been his 100th birthday, screening his magnum opus ‘The Book of the Dead.’ This year’s festival trailer was created by Samuel Patthey, whose short ‘Sans voix’ won Best Swiss and Swiss Youth awards at Fantoche 2024.
Learn more: Visit fantoche.ch.
