Exciting Lineup for Annecy’s WIP Showcase: Baahubali, Snoopy, Netflix’s Steps, and Common Side Effects Season Two
Annecy International Film Festival to Showcase Upcoming Animated Features, Including "Baahubali: The Eternal War"
The Annecy International Film Festival has announced an exciting lineup of nine upcoming animated projects for its Work in Progress (WIP) sessions scheduled for June. Among the highlight features is Baahubali: The Eternal War, a CGI animated spin-off set within the popular Baahubali universe.
Produced by Arka Mediaworks, this animated film follows the story of Prince Baahubali, who is murdered and subsequently enters the afterlife. There, he becomes embroiled in an eternal war spanning 14 realms between the Devas and Asuras—symbolic representations of Order and Chaos. The narrative promises to reshape the cosmos, significantly impacting Baahubali’s destiny.
Ishan Shukla directs the film, which features a screenplay by Scott Mosier. This spin-off builds on the success of the re-release in October 2022 of Baahubali: The Epic, which combines S.S. Rajamouli’s original blockbusters, Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali: The Conclusion.
Additionally, the WIP lineup will showcase Snoopy Unleashed, the second feature inspired by the Peanuts franchise, currently in production by Vancouver-based WildBrain for Apple TV. Directed by Steve Martino and written by Bryan Schulz, Cornelius Uliano, and Karey Kirkpatrick, this film features the voice talents of Riley Vargas, Lara Mehmet, and Zahara Kerner.
Also featured is Netflix’s Cinderella spin-off titled Steps, directed by Alice Tzue and John Ripa. This adaptation stars Ali Wong and Stephanie Hsu and presents a comedic take on the classic tale, focusing on Lilith, Cinderella’s misunderstood sister, who must collaborate with Cinderella after accidentally turning their sister Margot into a frog.
European projects in the lineup include the French-Luxembourgish-Swiss co-production Séraphine, which tells the story of a young girl in 1880s Montmartre on a quest to uncover her parents’ true identities. The film boasts a noteworthy voice cast that includes Béatrice Dalle, Florence Loiret-Caille, Marie Zidi, Camélia Jordana, and Corinne Masiera.
Benjamin Massoubre, known for his work on Arcane, will present his second feature The Wolf, centered around a shepherd seeking vengeance after his flock is slaughtered. Georgian-Greek project Igi, directed by Natia Nikolashvili, adapts Jemal Kharchkhadze’s story about a prehistoric chief striving to ensure the survival of his people while instilling discipline.
Further European titles to be highlighted include Cécile McLorin Salvant’s tragic musical Ogresse, revolving around a solitary ogress pursued by a young man intent on taking her life.
The festival will also feature numerous international works, including Toei Animation’s Monkey Quest, a story about siblings navigating a near-future world in search of their missing parents, and Kazuaki Kuribayashi’s anime Killtube, set in a futuristic city governed by Edo Period rules.
In addition, titles from China and Colombia will be presented, including Hui Yi’s A Gwei and Carlos Gómez Salamanca’s Desechable, along with Brigitte Archambault’s Canadian project The Shiatsung Project.
With a total of sixteen projects included in the WIP program, the festival will also present three series: Astro Boy Reboot, Disney’s Cars: Lightning Racers, and the second season of Common Side Effects. This latter series follows the journey of Marshall and Frances as they navigate the challenges of being fugitives due to their groundbreaking discovery—a mushroom with remarkable healing properties.
WIP sessions at the Annecy festival are among the highly anticipated events, often selling out quickly. Historically, these sessions have provided early glimpses of successful films that later achieved significant recognition at the box office and at award ceremonies.
The Annecy International Film Festival is set to take place from June 23 to 26 this year.
