If there’s one thing on which absolutely everyone can agree, it’s that 2020 has been weird. Feel free to substitute your own adjective there, but this year has certainly been a trial.

In the wake of the global pandemic… aw, who are we kidding? We’re not in its wake, we’re still right in the middle of it – people have just gotten tired of it and are pretending it doesn’t exist now.

But I digress. In the middle of a global pandemic, large gatherings have become distant memory, which means summer festivals of all stripes (music, film, pop culture, etc.) have been canceled. I know this is a privileged take right now, but it’s going to be a strange few months without San Diego Comic-Con, Coachella, or [whatever your favorite festival is] popping up and accenting the sweaty doldrums of summer.

Yet some have persisted and found a way to survive, even if it might be only barely recognizable. For example? The Annecy International Animated Film Festival, which this year has gone 100% virtual (from June 15-30).

Crummy news for animation professionals and those who rely on in-person festivals to drum up press and financial connections. Great news for those of us who have always yearned to go but couldn’t justify the trip to France just to watch some animated films.

Annecy (which occurs in Annecy, France, natch), was founded in 1960 but became annual in 1998. Ostensibly, it’s a competition, but it’s also a festival that exposes films and filmmakers to distributors, producers, and other industry talent.

In competition are more than 200 feature films, short films, special programs, masterclasses, and making of features – using a variety of techniques from a variety of countries.

With the 2020 edition, those films (some not in their entirety, though, due to rights issues) are available online with a festival accreditation. Check out the films in contention here.

Also online are many of the “panels” and professional networking events. Interestingly, the festival has also made a few events free for everyone (even without a paid pass). Most look great, but those we’d heartily recommend are:

June 16 @ 1:00 pm EST | Wolfwalkers (WIP Feature)
Live Q&A with:
Tomm Moore, Director / Cartoon Saloon
Ross Stewart, Director / Cartoon Saloon
Maria Pareja, Production Designer / Cartoon Saloon

June 17 @ 12:00 pm EST | Animal Crackers (Making of)
Live Q&A with:
Tony Bancroft, Director
Scott Sava, Director

June 19 @ 12:00 pm EST | Conversation with Ron Clements & John Musker (Masterclass)
Live session, then on replay on Annecy Online, with:
John Musker, Writer, Director
Ron Clements, Writer, Director
Frank Gladstone, Executive Director / ASIFA Hollywood

We’ll be covering the festival and many of the films over the coming weeks, so stick around, whydoncha?