It’s been a robust year for genre film. Horror’s continued dominance at the box office has effectively spilled over into fantasy, thrillers, and sci-fi in ways that defy easy classification. So much so that it’s difficult to overlook the 2023 genre movies that employ horror techniques, draw inspiration from our favorite genre, or simply dabble in it.
These horror adjacent movies may not fully plunge into the genre, but they’re also not afraid to wear their horror influences on their sleeves, whether through style or bloodletting.
Here are the top ten best horror adjacent movies of 2023.
10. A Haunting in Venice
Director and star Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot gets reeled into another whodunnit, but this time Branagh leans into the Halloween setting with stunning style to infuse this murder mystery with atmospheric mood. A Haunting in Venice looks and feels like a vintage ghost story, complete with nods to Edgar Allan Poe.
These horror adjacent movies may not fully plunge into the genre, but they’re also not afraid to wear their horror influences on their sleeves, whether through style or bloodletting.
Here are the top ten best horror adjacent movies of 2023.
10. A Haunting in Venice
Director and star Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot gets reeled into another whodunnit, but this time Branagh leans into the Halloween setting with stunning style to infuse this murder mystery with atmospheric mood. A Haunting in Venice looks and feels like a vintage ghost story, complete with nods to Edgar Allan Poe.
- 12/24/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Roc Espinet’s “Chica y Lobo” and Cynthia Fernández Trejo’s“El Lenguaje de los Pájaros” are two highly-anticipated titlesat Ventana Sur’s 2023 Animation! Works In Progress strand, a joint initiative of Animation! and France’s Annecy Animation Film Festival and its MIFA market.
Animation! and indeed Ventana Sur at large, unspools Nov. 27- Dec. 1 in Buenos Aires.
“The 2023 selection showcases a wide range of themes, including both serious and profound topics. The cultural richness, creative innovation and meaningful storytelling offered by these films should be highlighted,” Animation! manager Silvina Cornillón told Variety.
Espinet, who works as an animator at the famed Titmouse Studio, brings the fantastic and fabled “Chica y Lobo” to market, the effort based on his third graphic novel published by Spaceman Project.
Having worked on Alberto Vázquez’s Goya-nabbing titles “Decorado” and “Birdboy: The Forgotten Children,” he won a Movistar Plus+ prize for his short film “Colossal Jane.
Animation! and indeed Ventana Sur at large, unspools Nov. 27- Dec. 1 in Buenos Aires.
“The 2023 selection showcases a wide range of themes, including both serious and profound topics. The cultural richness, creative innovation and meaningful storytelling offered by these films should be highlighted,” Animation! manager Silvina Cornillón told Variety.
Espinet, who works as an animator at the famed Titmouse Studio, brings the fantastic and fabled “Chica y Lobo” to market, the effort based on his third graphic novel published by Spaceman Project.
Having worked on Alberto Vázquez’s Goya-nabbing titles “Decorado” and “Birdboy: The Forgotten Children,” he won a Movistar Plus+ prize for his short film “Colossal Jane.
- 11/3/2023
- by Holly Jones
- Variety Film + TV
“Decorado,” the awaited next animated feature film from Alberto Vázquez, director of 2015’s “Birdboy: The Forgotten Children” and last year’s “Unicorn Wars,” has been boarded by Le Pacte.
One of France’s most important independent film companies, a distributor in France of Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Drive” and Ken Loach’s “I: Daniel Blake” among its biggest foreign hits, Le Pacte, headed by Jean and Alice Labadie, has acquired rights to “Decorado” for distribution in France and international sales.
“We picked up ‘Decorado’ because we were in love with ‘Unicorn Wars’ and ‘Decorado is even crazier,” said Jean Labadie. “We love animation and bold projects which are out of boundaries.”
The “Decorado” feature was presented at Cartoon Movie in March where its producers met Le Pacte and initiated discussions after Le Pacte’s expressions of enthusiasm for the story and the project.
Vázquez’s follow-up to “Unicorn Wars,” a Gkids U.
One of France’s most important independent film companies, a distributor in France of Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Drive” and Ken Loach’s “I: Daniel Blake” among its biggest foreign hits, Le Pacte, headed by Jean and Alice Labadie, has acquired rights to “Decorado” for distribution in France and international sales.
“We picked up ‘Decorado’ because we were in love with ‘Unicorn Wars’ and ‘Decorado is even crazier,” said Jean Labadie. “We love animation and bold projects which are out of boundaries.”
The “Decorado” feature was presented at Cartoon Movie in March where its producers met Le Pacte and initiated discussions after Le Pacte’s expressions of enthusiasm for the story and the project.
Vázquez’s follow-up to “Unicorn Wars,” a Gkids U.
- 7/20/2023
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Spanish director Alberto Vazquez’s anthropomorphic animals call to mind fairy-tale illustrations and animation classics — except Vazquez’s animated unicorns and teddy bears engage in gruesome acts that reveal the worst of human nature.
“I like to inhabit this intermediate space where you don’t know if it’s for children or if it’s actually for adults—but it’s also not for all adults,” said Vazquez on a recent video call.
Vazquez’s sophomore feature, the Goya Award-winning “Unicorn Wars,” hits U.S. theaters March 10. He defines this latest brainchild as an amalgamation between “Apocalypse Now,” Disney’s “Bambi,’ and the Bible.
Read More: The 41 Best Animated Movies of the 21st Century, Ranked
The dark fantasy maps a holy war between bears and unicorns over the control of a sacred forest. At the center of the larger conflict are bear brothers Bluey and Tubby (Azulín and Gordi in...
“I like to inhabit this intermediate space where you don’t know if it’s for children or if it’s actually for adults—but it’s also not for all adults,” said Vazquez on a recent video call.
Vazquez’s sophomore feature, the Goya Award-winning “Unicorn Wars,” hits U.S. theaters March 10. He defines this latest brainchild as an amalgamation between “Apocalypse Now,” Disney’s “Bambi,’ and the Bible.
Read More: The 41 Best Animated Movies of the 21st Century, Ranked
The dark fantasy maps a holy war between bears and unicorns over the control of a sacred forest. At the center of the larger conflict are bear brothers Bluey and Tubby (Azulín and Gordi in...
- 3/10/2023
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Indiewire
Described as "Bambi meets Apocalypse Now," Alberto Vázquez's new animated movie Unicorn Wars follows the ongoing battle between teddy bears and unicorns in the Magic Forest, and ahead of its March 10th theatrical and digital release, we've been provided with an exclusive clip to share with Daily Dead readers!
You can watch teddy bear soldiers discover (and eat) psychedelic slugs in our exclusive clip below, and to learn more about Unicorn Wars, visit:
https://gkids.com/films/unicorn-wars/
Synopsis: It’s Bambi meets Apocalypse Now in this provocative and strangely beautiful horror comedy from acclaimed filmmaker and illustrator Alberto Vazquez (Birdboy: The Forgotten Children), who uses its outrageous candy-colored premise to explore religious zealotry, the tortured legacies of military fascism, and the depths of the soul.
For ages, teddy bears have been locked in an ancestral war against their sworn enemy, the unicorns, with the promise that victory will...
You can watch teddy bear soldiers discover (and eat) psychedelic slugs in our exclusive clip below, and to learn more about Unicorn Wars, visit:
https://gkids.com/films/unicorn-wars/
Synopsis: It’s Bambi meets Apocalypse Now in this provocative and strangely beautiful horror comedy from acclaimed filmmaker and illustrator Alberto Vazquez (Birdboy: The Forgotten Children), who uses its outrageous candy-colored premise to explore religious zealotry, the tortured legacies of military fascism, and the depths of the soul.
For ages, teddy bears have been locked in an ancestral war against their sworn enemy, the unicorns, with the promise that victory will...
- 3/8/2023
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Unicorn Wars: "It’s Bambi meets Apocalypse Now in this provocative and strangely beautiful horror comedy from acclaimed filmmaker and illustrator Alberto Vazquez (Birdboy: The Forgotten Children), who uses its outrageous candy-colored premise to explore religious zealotry, the tortured legacies of military fascism, and the depths of the soul.
For ages, teddy bears have been locked in an ancestral war against their sworn enemy, the unicorns, with the promise that victory will complete the prophecy and usher in a new era. Aggressive, confident teddy bear Bluet and his sensitive, withdrawn brother Tubby could not be more different. As the rigors and humiliation of teddy bear bootcamp turn to the psychedelic horrors of a combat tour in the Magic Forest, their complicated history and increasingly strained relationship will come to determine the fate of the entire war."
Director/Writer/Art Director: Alberto Vázquez Executive Producers: Chelo Loureiro, Iván Miñambres, Nicolas Schmerkin...
For ages, teddy bears have been locked in an ancestral war against their sworn enemy, the unicorns, with the promise that victory will complete the prophecy and usher in a new era. Aggressive, confident teddy bear Bluet and his sensitive, withdrawn brother Tubby could not be more different. As the rigors and humiliation of teddy bear bootcamp turn to the psychedelic horrors of a combat tour in the Magic Forest, their complicated history and increasingly strained relationship will come to determine the fate of the entire war."
Director/Writer/Art Director: Alberto Vázquez Executive Producers: Chelo Loureiro, Iván Miñambres, Nicolas Schmerkin...
- 2/6/2023
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Oscar-winning animation film producer Nicolas Schmerkin has revealed his Paris-based outfit Autour de Minuit has signed a pre-development agreement with Franco-German TV channel Arte for its latest project, “Fucking Cat”, which is being pitched at this week’s Cartoon Forum in Toulouse.
An adaptation of Belgian author Stéphane Lapuss’ “Putain de Chat” comic book series, “Fucking Cat” tells the story of Moustique, the talking cat, who, like all cats, hates humans and would like to get rid of his master but faces the dilemna of how to become master of the world without giving up his cat food. Both Lapuss and co-author Lionel Bonnal will assist in penning the adaptation.
“The concept is that the cat talks but the human doesn’t, he just hears the ‘miaow’: it’s both situation comedy and dialogue comedy – the audience hears what the cat says to his master, and it’s not very nice,...
An adaptation of Belgian author Stéphane Lapuss’ “Putain de Chat” comic book series, “Fucking Cat” tells the story of Moustique, the talking cat, who, like all cats, hates humans and would like to get rid of his master but faces the dilemna of how to become master of the world without giving up his cat food. Both Lapuss and co-author Lionel Bonnal will assist in penning the adaptation.
“The concept is that the cat talks but the human doesn’t, he just hears the ‘miaow’: it’s both situation comedy and dialogue comedy – the audience hears what the cat says to his master, and it’s not very nice,...
- 9/21/2022
- by Lise Pedersen
- Variety Film + TV
Charades handles international sales.
GKids has snapped up North American rights to Annecy selection and horror comedy Unicorn Wars ahead of premieres at Fantastic Fest in Texas and BFI London Film Festival.
Goya and Annecy Cristal-winning Alberto Vázquez (Birdboy: The Forgotten Children) directed the film which takes place at a pivotal juncture in the long war between teddy bears and unicorns.
Unicorn Wars is styled as “Bambi meets Apocalypse Now” blend which explores religious zealotry and the tortured legacies of military fascism.
GKids will distribute theatrically in early 2023 after a US awards-qualifying release in autumn. Charades handles international sales.
“There...
GKids has snapped up North American rights to Annecy selection and horror comedy Unicorn Wars ahead of premieres at Fantastic Fest in Texas and BFI London Film Festival.
Goya and Annecy Cristal-winning Alberto Vázquez (Birdboy: The Forgotten Children) directed the film which takes place at a pivotal juncture in the long war between teddy bears and unicorns.
Unicorn Wars is styled as “Bambi meets Apocalypse Now” blend which explores religious zealotry and the tortured legacies of military fascism.
GKids will distribute theatrically in early 2023 after a US awards-qualifying release in autumn. Charades handles international sales.
“There...
- 9/15/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Gkids has acquired North American rights to Unicorn Wars — the latest genre-bending animated feature from Goya and Annecy Cristal-winning director Alberto Vázquez (Birdboy: The Forgotten Children) — ahead of its U.S. premiere at Fantastic Fest. The horror-comedy will be released in theaters by Gkids in early 2023, following its domestic release in Spain this fall.
Billed as Bambi meets Apocalypse Now, Unicorn Wars‘ logline is as follows:
For ages, teddy bears have been locked in an ancestral war against their sworn enemy, the unicorns, with the promise that victory will complete the prophecy and usher in a new era. Aggressive, confident teddy bear Bluet and his sensitive, withdrawn brother Tubby could not be more different. As the rigors and humiliation of teddy bear bootcamp turn to the psychedelic horrors of a combat tour in the Magic Forest, their complicated history and increasingly strained relationship will come to determine the fate of the entire war.
Billed as Bambi meets Apocalypse Now, Unicorn Wars‘ logline is as follows:
For ages, teddy bears have been locked in an ancestral war against their sworn enemy, the unicorns, with the promise that victory will complete the prophecy and usher in a new era. Aggressive, confident teddy bear Bluet and his sensitive, withdrawn brother Tubby could not be more different. As the rigors and humiliation of teddy bear bootcamp turn to the psychedelic horrors of a combat tour in the Magic Forest, their complicated history and increasingly strained relationship will come to determine the fate of the entire war.
- 9/15/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Gkids has acquired the North American distribution rights to “Unicorn Wars,” ahead of the adult animated film’s U.S. premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. The news was announced Thursday.
Set during an ancestral war between teddy bears and unicorns, the horror-comedy film follows Bluet and Tubby, teddy bear brothers who are polar opposites to each other. When their time at teddy bear bootcamp leads to a combat tour in the Magic Forest, Bluet and Tubby’s complicated history and tense relationship could affect the fate of the war, including whether the teddy bears will fulfill the prophecy and usher in a new era.
“Unicorn Wars” is directed and written by illustrator Alberto Vázquez. Prior to this deal, Gkids distributed Vázquez’s Goya Award-winning feature “Birdboy: The Forgotten Children” and animated short “Decorado.”
“There is nobody on Earth who could make a film like ‘Unicorn Wars’ except Alberto Vázquez,...
Set during an ancestral war between teddy bears and unicorns, the horror-comedy film follows Bluet and Tubby, teddy bear brothers who are polar opposites to each other. When their time at teddy bear bootcamp leads to a combat tour in the Magic Forest, Bluet and Tubby’s complicated history and tense relationship could affect the fate of the war, including whether the teddy bears will fulfill the prophecy and usher in a new era.
“Unicorn Wars” is directed and written by illustrator Alberto Vázquez. Prior to this deal, Gkids distributed Vázquez’s Goya Award-winning feature “Birdboy: The Forgotten Children” and animated short “Decorado.”
“There is nobody on Earth who could make a film like ‘Unicorn Wars’ except Alberto Vázquez,...
- 9/15/2022
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
Poster, Stills of ‘Unicorn Wars,’ from ‘Birdboy’ Director Alberto Vázquez, Unveiled at Cartoon Movie
Having received quite possibly the best reception of any title at Tuesday’s Cartoon Movie Croissants Breakfast – a video clip prompting approving whoops and hollers – Spanish-French animated feature “Unicorn Wars” saw its poster and first stills unveiled at the presentation which looks like an early highlight at this year’s meet.
Yohann Comte, co-founder of Charades, the film’s sales agent, also confirmed at the unveil that “Unicorn Wars” has sold to Japan’s Riskit. UFO Distribution handles the feature’s release in France, Barton Films distributes in Spain.
The film is just a few weeks off completion, said Miñambres. It figures as a strong candidate to play Annecy Animation Festival’s main competition this June, maybe taking in the Cannes Festival on the way.
The latest offering from Alberto Vázquez, director of “Birdboy: The Forgotten Children,” a Gkids pickup for North America, “Unicorn Wars” is produced by UniKo’s...
Yohann Comte, co-founder of Charades, the film’s sales agent, also confirmed at the unveil that “Unicorn Wars” has sold to Japan’s Riskit. UFO Distribution handles the feature’s release in France, Barton Films distributes in Spain.
The film is just a few weeks off completion, said Miñambres. It figures as a strong candidate to play Annecy Animation Festival’s main competition this June, maybe taking in the Cannes Festival on the way.
The latest offering from Alberto Vázquez, director of “Birdboy: The Forgotten Children,” a Gkids pickup for North America, “Unicorn Wars” is produced by UniKo’s...
- 3/9/2022
- by Ben Croll and John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
UFO Distribution has taken French rights on the Charades-sold “Unicorn Wars,” an Alberto Vázquez apocalyptic fantasy tale that got a Work in Progress session on Thursday at the Annecy Animation Festival.
UFO was tempted to pick up the rights for “Birdboy: The Forgotten Children” years ago, Stéphane Auclaire at UFO Distribution told Variety, adding: “The universe developed in ‘Unicorn Wars’ is less black, more colorful, ‘funnier,’ and fits perfectly to code transgressions – here, the childhood teddy bears which go to war– regularly addressed in the films we release, as was the case with Christopher Morris’ ‘4 Lions’ or the films by Quentin Dupieux or Bertrand Mandico.”
At the panel, judging by the images and explanations, it was clear that the free-spirited mix of acid humor, social scrutiny, and deep artistic DNA of the feature endorsed its author Vázquez as one the most established and personal voices in European adult animation.
And now,...
UFO was tempted to pick up the rights for “Birdboy: The Forgotten Children” years ago, Stéphane Auclaire at UFO Distribution told Variety, adding: “The universe developed in ‘Unicorn Wars’ is less black, more colorful, ‘funnier,’ and fits perfectly to code transgressions – here, the childhood teddy bears which go to war– regularly addressed in the films we release, as was the case with Christopher Morris’ ‘4 Lions’ or the films by Quentin Dupieux or Bertrand Mandico.”
At the panel, judging by the images and explanations, it was clear that the free-spirited mix of acid humor, social scrutiny, and deep artistic DNA of the feature endorsed its author Vázquez as one the most established and personal voices in European adult animation.
And now,...
- 6/18/2021
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
On Wednesday, the Annecy Animation Festival hosted a live, in-person Work in Progress panel for Spanish filmmaker Alberto Vázquez’s “Unicorn Wars” at the Salle Pierre Lamy, perhaps indicating that the world is healing. Joining Vázquez on stage were his Oscar-winning Autor de Minuit producer Nicolas Schmerkin, Spanish producer Chelo Loureiro from Abano Producións, and “Unicorn Wars” technical supervisor Fiona Cohen.
“Unicorn Wars” unspools amidst a prophesized apocalyptic war between religious zealot teddy bears and pragmatic, environmentalist unicorns who have fought for as long as anyone alive can remember. However, while the film’s overarching backdrop is the ancestral wars between the species, Vazquez explained that, “The real story is of two bears who fight for the love of their mother.”
Private Bluet is a cute, cuddly character who, at least outwardly, embodies everything a cartoon bear should be, and proves himself a keen soldier in the bear military. Meanwhile,...
“Unicorn Wars” unspools amidst a prophesized apocalyptic war between religious zealot teddy bears and pragmatic, environmentalist unicorns who have fought for as long as anyone alive can remember. However, while the film’s overarching backdrop is the ancestral wars between the species, Vazquez explained that, “The real story is of two bears who fight for the love of their mother.”
Private Bluet is a cute, cuddly character who, at least outwardly, embodies everything a cartoon bear should be, and proves himself a keen soldier in the bear military. Meanwhile,...
- 6/16/2021
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Eduardo Rivero’s debut feature “A Costume for Nicholas,” Bernardita Ojeda’s “Petit Season Two” and Alberto Vázquez’s “Homeless Home” won big at Saturday’s 4th Quirino Awards, which prize animated films and series from Latin America, Spain and Portugal.
Winners picked up their plaudits at a on-site ceremony held at La Laguna in Spain’s Canary islands.
“A Costume for Nicholas,” from Mexico, took best feature, winning out in a category whose four nominees included three Mexican productions.
The third movie from Mexico’s Fotosintesis Media, a social a cause-driven entertainment label set up by the Mantarraya Group and producer-director Miguel Uriegas (“The Stone Boy”), the toon movie is co-produced by Mexico’s Pēek Paax animation studio.
Marking Uriegas’ debut as screenwriter, the feature follows Nicholas, a 10-year-old orphan with Down syndrome who dons magical costumes from his mom to save his brother from nightmares and the world from chaos.
Winners picked up their plaudits at a on-site ceremony held at La Laguna in Spain’s Canary islands.
“A Costume for Nicholas,” from Mexico, took best feature, winning out in a category whose four nominees included three Mexican productions.
The third movie from Mexico’s Fotosintesis Media, a social a cause-driven entertainment label set up by the Mantarraya Group and producer-director Miguel Uriegas (“The Stone Boy”), the toon movie is co-produced by Mexico’s Pēek Paax animation studio.
Marking Uriegas’ debut as screenwriter, the feature follows Nicholas, a 10-year-old orphan with Down syndrome who dons magical costumes from his mom to save his brother from nightmares and the world from chaos.
- 5/29/2021
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
France’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the leading global get-together for all things animation, has unveiled the lineup for this year’s Work in Progress section, among the most highly anticipated events of the world’s animation calendar. When a physical event is possible, lines begin to form early in the morning as fans of the high-profile projects hope to get into the limited seating available at the Salle Pierre Lamy.
A barometer for future standout awards and/or box office success, recent high-profile projects featured at Annecy’s Work in Progress include Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Oscar-winner “Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse” and Oscar nominees in Netflix’s “Klaus” and “Over the Moon,” Cartoon Saloon’s “Wolfwalkers,” Claude Barras’ “My Life as a Zucchini,” Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar’s “Ernest & Celestine,” Michael Dudok de Wit’s “The Red Turtle” and Dean DeBlois’ “How to Train Your Dragon 2.
A barometer for future standout awards and/or box office success, recent high-profile projects featured at Annecy’s Work in Progress include Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Oscar-winner “Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse” and Oscar nominees in Netflix’s “Klaus” and “Over the Moon,” Cartoon Saloon’s “Wolfwalkers,” Claude Barras’ “My Life as a Zucchini,” Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar’s “Ernest & Celestine,” Michael Dudok de Wit’s “The Red Turtle” and Dean DeBlois’ “How to Train Your Dragon 2.
- 5/3/2021
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
From princesses addicted to smart magic to wolf dogs wary of fake legends, putting a new spin on old tales was the prevailing theme at Ventana Sur’s New Spanish Animation showcase on Monday.
A collaboration between Spanish animation festival Weird Market, Ventana Sur’s Animation! and Spanish film agency Icaa, the best-of-Spain online showcase included two series, three feature projects and a work-in-progress.
Standout projects included “Masked Cinderella” a 26-part series in the mold of “Teen Titans” which reimagines the fairy tale universe for a superhero savvy, smart device-loving six to 12- year-old audience.
Former Imira Entertainment founder, Myriam Ballesteros is directing the 22-minute episode series, a co-production between her company, Mb Productions and the animation producer/distributor Mondo TV Iberoamérica.
This well-formed universe sees Cinderella takes the guise of a masked hero who saves Prince Charming from a falling giant glitterball.
“We felt that for today’s audience...
A collaboration between Spanish animation festival Weird Market, Ventana Sur’s Animation! and Spanish film agency Icaa, the best-of-Spain online showcase included two series, three feature projects and a work-in-progress.
Standout projects included “Masked Cinderella” a 26-part series in the mold of “Teen Titans” which reimagines the fairy tale universe for a superhero savvy, smart device-loving six to 12- year-old audience.
Former Imira Entertainment founder, Myriam Ballesteros is directing the 22-minute episode series, a co-production between her company, Mb Productions and the animation producer/distributor Mondo TV Iberoamérica.
This well-formed universe sees Cinderella takes the guise of a masked hero who saves Prince Charming from a falling giant glitterball.
“We felt that for today’s audience...
- 12/1/2020
- by Ann-Marie Corvin
- Variety Film + TV
Among Ventana Sur’s most buzzed titles, and a strong indicator of the heft that animation production now carries, “Unicorn Wars” from Alberto Vazquez, holds the unique distinction of being the first-ever non Latin American animated film to feature at the Argentine event’s Animation! Sidebar.
Having participated at several high-profile international festivals and markets since development, the blood-soaked, cotton candy fantasy feature was picked up by “I Lost My Body” sales agent Charades, which will be looking for distributors at this week’s Ventana Sur. Uniko and Abano Producións in Spain produce with Autour de Minuit and Schmuby Productions from France.
“Unicorn Wars” unspools amidst the apocalyptic war between teddy bears and unicorns who have fought from time immemorial. Teddy bear Private Bluet wants desperately to get his hands on unicorn blood for its legendary powers of preserving eternal beauty, while his brother Tubby just isn’t cut from...
Having participated at several high-profile international festivals and markets since development, the blood-soaked, cotton candy fantasy feature was picked up by “I Lost My Body” sales agent Charades, which will be looking for distributors at this week’s Ventana Sur. Uniko and Abano Producións in Spain produce with Autour de Minuit and Schmuby Productions from France.
“Unicorn Wars” unspools amidst the apocalyptic war between teddy bears and unicorns who have fought from time immemorial. Teddy bear Private Bluet wants desperately to get his hands on unicorn blood for its legendary powers of preserving eternal beauty, while his brother Tubby just isn’t cut from...
- 11/30/2020
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Curated in coordination with the Annecy International Animation Festival and its MIFA market, Animation! at Ventana Sur will feature five productions for its 2020 Works in Progress sidebar, including its first-ever non-Latin American production.
Adult animation is booming, and one figure at the forefront of the movement is Spain’s Alberto Vazquez, the mastermind behind festival hits such as “Birdboy: The Forgotten Children” and one of this year’s darkest animated shorts “Homeless Home,” selected as one of Variety’s ten to watch at June’s Annecy festival.
The medium isn’t leaving kids behind, however, and Gullane’s “Noah’s Ark – A Musical Adventure,” one of the most buzzed animated features to come out of Latin America in recent years which boasts Brazil’s largest-ever budget for an animated film, and the first Brazilian animated feature with an Indian co-producer in Symbiosys Technologies.
This year’s WIPs will be available...
Adult animation is booming, and one figure at the forefront of the movement is Spain’s Alberto Vazquez, the mastermind behind festival hits such as “Birdboy: The Forgotten Children” and one of this year’s darkest animated shorts “Homeless Home,” selected as one of Variety’s ten to watch at June’s Annecy festival.
The medium isn’t leaving kids behind, however, and Gullane’s “Noah’s Ark – A Musical Adventure,” one of the most buzzed animated features to come out of Latin America in recent years which boasts Brazil’s largest-ever budget for an animated film, and the first Brazilian animated feature with an Indian co-producer in Symbiosys Technologies.
This year’s WIPs will be available...
- 11/2/2020
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Paris-based arthouse outfit Autour de Minuit, producer of Oscar-winning toon short “Logorama,” will produce toon feature “Spitsbergen” and medium-length “Return to Nix,” both to be directed by Suzie Templeton, who won as Academy Award and Annecy Cristal for”Peter & the Wolf”). “Spitsbergen”marks Templeton’s much-awaited feature debut, currently in development.
The news comes as Annecy awarded a Special Jury prize to the Autour de Minuit-produced short “Homeless Home,“ from Spain’s Alberto Vázquez (“Birdboy: the Forgotten Children”), a heady B & W mix of fantasy genre, casual, modern-day dialog and a horror at blood lust and cruelty.
Yesterday, a second Autour de Minuit short, Geoffroy de Crécy’s “Empty Places” – a hypnotic portrait of a world in which humdrum machines continue to function, though human beings have disappeared – took the Festivals Connexion Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes prize, in partnership with the Lumières Numériques & Mèche Courte Award.
“Spitsbergen” turns on two kids living together...
The news comes as Annecy awarded a Special Jury prize to the Autour de Minuit-produced short “Homeless Home,“ from Spain’s Alberto Vázquez (“Birdboy: the Forgotten Children”), a heady B & W mix of fantasy genre, casual, modern-day dialog and a horror at blood lust and cruelty.
Yesterday, a second Autour de Minuit short, Geoffroy de Crécy’s “Empty Places” – a hypnotic portrait of a world in which humdrum machines continue to function, though human beings have disappeared – took the Festivals Connexion Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes prize, in partnership with the Lumières Numériques & Mèche Courte Award.
“Spitsbergen” turns on two kids living together...
- 6/20/2020
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
June 20 was always meant to be the day the 2020 Annecy International Animation Film Festival would hand out awards at an energetic, paper airplane-filled gala, making it one of the most important dates on the global animation calendar.
While other aspects of the festival were changed dramatically by the fallout of the Covid-19 crisis, festival organizers felt it symbolically important to preserve that date. To that end, 10 days ahead of the festival’s official June 30 close, prizes were awarded via a live-streamed video on the festival’s YouTube channel in a charming ceremony which allowed spectators to interact with and congratulate the winners as prizes were announced. And of course, as is customary for Annecy, fill the chat with cries of “lapin” (French for rabbit) every time one of the furry creatures appeared on screen.
Coming full circle, Rémi Chayé’s “Calamity,” featured in a Work in Progress panel hosted by...
While other aspects of the festival were changed dramatically by the fallout of the Covid-19 crisis, festival organizers felt it symbolically important to preserve that date. To that end, 10 days ahead of the festival’s official June 30 close, prizes were awarded via a live-streamed video on the festival’s YouTube channel in a charming ceremony which allowed spectators to interact with and congratulate the winners as prizes were announced. And of course, as is customary for Annecy, fill the chat with cries of “lapin” (French for rabbit) every time one of the furry creatures appeared on screen.
Coming full circle, Rémi Chayé’s “Calamity,” featured in a Work in Progress panel hosted by...
- 6/20/2020
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
"I don't know if all this is real or just a dream." Who is the crazy one here? Decorado is a fascinating short film from Spanish animation filmmaker Alberto Vázquez (also of Birdboy: The Forgotten Children). This premiered at festivals back in 2016, but is finally available to watch online for free. Decorado is described as "an ironic and existentialist fable about the meaning of life and our relationships. A hybrid between a horror story and a subversive comedy... Beyond the argument or the existential content, contains an unusual and risky formal commitment – the use of an aesthetic that imitates the classic engravings of the 19th century." The film is about Arnold the bear, who starts to wonder if everyone he meets is putting on a performance to undermine his sanity. It's astonishing and also quite trippy, but that makes it unique. Click [cc] for subtitles. Thanks to Short of the Week...
- 5/13/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
In today's horror highlights: Fantaspoa announces an online filmmaking contest and new streaming titles, filmmaker Ted Geoghegan launches the second episode of his new online radio program that dives into the history of cinema, and we have the international trailer for German horror film Hager, that just was released to Amazon Prime:
Fantaspoa at Home Online Filmmaking Contest + New Streaming Titles Available:
Porto Alegre, Brazil - 10 April 2019 - Weeks after launching its free worldwide movie streaming platform at www.fantaspoaathome.com, which will be available until the end of May, Brazil's Fantaspoa Film Festival is proud to announce the Fantaspoa at Home Online Filmmaking Contest. Being aware of the importance of quarantine to contain the spread of Covid-19, this film competition aims to encourage film production at home during these difficult times.
Submissions should be short films in the fantastic genre, and touch upon topics or themes related to the current pandemic.
Fantaspoa at Home Online Filmmaking Contest + New Streaming Titles Available:
Porto Alegre, Brazil - 10 April 2019 - Weeks after launching its free worldwide movie streaming platform at www.fantaspoaathome.com, which will be available until the end of May, Brazil's Fantaspoa Film Festival is proud to announce the Fantaspoa at Home Online Filmmaking Contest. Being aware of the importance of quarantine to contain the spread of Covid-19, this film competition aims to encourage film production at home during these difficult times.
Submissions should be short films in the fantastic genre, and touch upon topics or themes related to the current pandemic.
- 4/13/2020
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Bordeaux, France — Madrid-based Latido Films has taken international rights to Roc Espinet’s feature debut “Girl and Wolf,” an animated feature for young audiences based on Espinet’s eponymous graphic novel. “Girl and Wolf” is one of the projects offered at the ongoing Cartoon Movie, Europe’s leading animated movie co-production event, where Variety has learned of the acquisition.
Currently in development, the project gathers part of the production team behind Salvador Simó’s “Buñuel in The Labyrinth of The Turtles,” a Special Jury Prize laureate at Los Angeles’ Animation is Film, winner of Annecy’s Jury Award, Best Animated Film at the European Film Awards and Best Animated Feature at the Spanish Academy Goya Awards.
“Girl and Wolf” is produced by Xosé Zapata at Sygnatia Films and Álex Cervantes at Hampa Studio. It tells the story of Paula, an innocent girl who grew up in an orphanage in a medieval village besieged by wolves.
Currently in development, the project gathers part of the production team behind Salvador Simó’s “Buñuel in The Labyrinth of The Turtles,” a Special Jury Prize laureate at Los Angeles’ Animation is Film, winner of Annecy’s Jury Award, Best Animated Film at the European Film Awards and Best Animated Feature at the Spanish Academy Goya Awards.
“Girl and Wolf” is produced by Xosé Zapata at Sygnatia Films and Álex Cervantes at Hampa Studio. It tells the story of Paula, an innocent girl who grew up in an orphanage in a medieval village besieged by wolves.
- 3/5/2020
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Spain’s 3D Wire Animation, Video Games and New Media Festival and market is preparing to kick off on Sept 30 beneath the Roman aqueducts of Segovia in the shadows of the Alcázar de Segovia, a castle referenced by animators when designing Walt Disney’s own.
The festival runs until Oct 6, with Oct. 3-5 dedicated to industry activities and the 3D Wire Market.
This year’s short film competition consists of 41 films. 32 form an international competition which includes films from 20 countries, while the other nine shorts will compete in a domestic competition.
Five prizes will be handed out by the jury for the best international, European, and Spanish shorts, and the audience will select a best international and best Spanish short as well.
This year’s jury is made up of Spanish director, screenwriter and producer Nuria G. Blanco, Ventana Sur Animation! coordinator Silvina Cornillón, Belgian Oscar-nominated producer Vincent Tavier, and web designer Marc Aguesse.
The festival runs until Oct 6, with Oct. 3-5 dedicated to industry activities and the 3D Wire Market.
This year’s short film competition consists of 41 films. 32 form an international competition which includes films from 20 countries, while the other nine shorts will compete in a domestic competition.
Five prizes will be handed out by the jury for the best international, European, and Spanish shorts, and the audience will select a best international and best Spanish short as well.
This year’s jury is made up of Spanish director, screenwriter and producer Nuria G. Blanco, Ventana Sur Animation! coordinator Silvina Cornillón, Belgian Oscar-nominated producer Vincent Tavier, and web designer Marc Aguesse.
- 9/25/2019
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Rolling off Cannes Directors’ Fortnight hit “I Lost My Body,” Charades has boarded another artful animated film, “Unicorn Wars,” Alberto Vázquez’s solo follow-up to “Birdboy: the Forgotten Children.”
“Unicorn Wars” tracks two brother teddy bear soldiers, Azulín, who yearn for unicorn blood to be beautiful for ever; and Gordi, who just wants to be accepted and liked. Their mission sparks total war, leading to the arrival of the most terrible of demons: Man.
Drawn in expressive and increasingly dark charcoal strokes, “Unicorn Wars” chronicles a brutal and resonant ancestral struggle between teddy bears and unicorns in a magical forest.
Mixing humor, drama and myth, the war fantasy is produced by France’s Autour de Minuit, Borderline Films, Autour de Minuit’s new Angoulême studios, Spain’s Abano Producións, and Uniko, Belgium’s Panique run by Vincent Tavier, whose co-production credits include “A Town Called Panic,” and “Ernest & Celestine.
“Unicorn Wars” tracks two brother teddy bear soldiers, Azulín, who yearn for unicorn blood to be beautiful for ever; and Gordi, who just wants to be accepted and liked. Their mission sparks total war, leading to the arrival of the most terrible of demons: Man.
Drawn in expressive and increasingly dark charcoal strokes, “Unicorn Wars” chronicles a brutal and resonant ancestral struggle between teddy bears and unicorns in a magical forest.
Mixing humor, drama and myth, the war fantasy is produced by France’s Autour de Minuit, Borderline Films, Autour de Minuit’s new Angoulême studios, Spain’s Abano Producións, and Uniko, Belgium’s Panique run by Vincent Tavier, whose co-production credits include “A Town Called Panic,” and “Ernest & Celestine.
- 6/5/2019
- by Elsa Keslassy and Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Cannes – Spanish producer-turned director Chelo Loureiro of Galicia’s Ábano Producións has teamed with Spanish multi-hyphenate Emilio Aragón at Caribe Music to produce the upcoming animated feature “Valentina.”
Valentina turns on a girl who is tired of having Down syndrome, and believes it to be the reason she’ll never be a trapeze artist. But Valentina’s grandmother tells her that if a caterpillar can become a beautiful butterfly, nothing is impossible. As a matter of fact, Valentina’s grandma wants to become a orchestra conductor and hasn’t given up that dream.
A celebrated Spanish TV showman and director-producer, Emilio Aragón was born in Cuba and worked as a popular clown in the late ‘70s, was a co-founder of TV series production house Globomedia in the ‘90s, directed the dramedy “Pajaros de papel” (Paper Birds), wrote the musical score for the film, and recently produced Spanish hit TV drama...
Valentina turns on a girl who is tired of having Down syndrome, and believes it to be the reason she’ll never be a trapeze artist. But Valentina’s grandmother tells her that if a caterpillar can become a beautiful butterfly, nothing is impossible. As a matter of fact, Valentina’s grandma wants to become a orchestra conductor and hasn’t given up that dream.
A celebrated Spanish TV showman and director-producer, Emilio Aragón was born in Cuba and worked as a popular clown in the late ‘70s, was a co-founder of TV series production house Globomedia in the ‘90s, directed the dramedy “Pajaros de papel” (Paper Birds), wrote the musical score for the film, and recently produced Spanish hit TV drama...
- 5/23/2019
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Two months ago at Bordeaux’s Cartoon Movie, Europe’s biggest animated movie showcase, no country made a larger impact than Spain.
A sneak peek of footage from Raul de la Fuente’s “Another Day of Life,” capturing war correspondent Ryszard Kapuściński’s life-haunting experience in Angola’s civil war, dazzled Cartoon Movie with the verve of its animation/live-action mix. The $20 million “Dragonkeeper,” about a feisty washer-girl slave turned dragon protector, sparked enthusiasm for its story and Western-Chinese animation meld. Alberto Vázquez (“Birdboy: The Forgotten Children”) drew the showcase’s second-biggest audience for in-the-works “Unicorn Wars,” about an ancestral battle between Teddy bears and unicorns. And Madrid-based Latido Films won Distributor of the Year for “Buñuel in the Labyrinth of Turtles,” about Luis Buñuel’s shooting of 1933’s “Land Without Bread.”
Spanish animation’s strong showing at Cartoon Movie was no fluke. Animation accounted for the highest-grossing Spanish hit...
A sneak peek of footage from Raul de la Fuente’s “Another Day of Life,” capturing war correspondent Ryszard Kapuściński’s life-haunting experience in Angola’s civil war, dazzled Cartoon Movie with the verve of its animation/live-action mix. The $20 million “Dragonkeeper,” about a feisty washer-girl slave turned dragon protector, sparked enthusiasm for its story and Western-Chinese animation meld. Alberto Vázquez (“Birdboy: The Forgotten Children”) drew the showcase’s second-biggest audience for in-the-works “Unicorn Wars,” about an ancestral battle between Teddy bears and unicorns. And Madrid-based Latido Films won Distributor of the Year for “Buñuel in the Labyrinth of Turtles,” about Luis Buñuel’s shooting of 1933’s “Land Without Bread.”
Spanish animation’s strong showing at Cartoon Movie was no fluke. Animation accounted for the highest-grossing Spanish hit...
- 5/11/2018
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Saturday, April 7 marked the debut edition of the Quirino Awards ceremony. Held in the Canary Island city of Tenerife, the event was created to celebrate Ibero-American animation, and to create links within the industry across the Atlantic.
In addition to Saturday night’s awards ceremony, an Ibero-American co-production forum was held over the two days which included: Presentations of the state of the animation industry in different countries and regions; B2B coproduction meetings: and industry work tables.
Additionally, an international congress was held as a forum for debate and discussion on the rapid evolution of animation technologies and techniques, as well as the platforms which host that content.
Saturday’s awards ceremony was the culmination of the two-day event, named in honor of Argentina’s Quirino Cristiani who, in 1917, directed “El Apóstol,” the world’s first animated feature. Unfortunately, the film was destroyed in a fire.
The inaugural best...
In addition to Saturday night’s awards ceremony, an Ibero-American co-production forum was held over the two days which included: Presentations of the state of the animation industry in different countries and regions; B2B coproduction meetings: and industry work tables.
Additionally, an international congress was held as a forum for debate and discussion on the rapid evolution of animation technologies and techniques, as well as the platforms which host that content.
Saturday’s awards ceremony was the culmination of the two-day event, named in honor of Argentina’s Quirino Cristiani who, in 1917, directed “El Apóstol,” the world’s first animated feature. Unfortunately, the film was destroyed in a fire.
The inaugural best...
- 4/8/2018
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
March’s genre-related home entertainment releases just keep getting better with each passing week, as we have more than 20 different Blu-ray and DVD offerings coming our way this Tuesday. Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar-nominated masterpiece The Shape of Water arrives on various formats, and for those who didn’t get a chance to nab the Steelbook Edition, Synapse is putting out a standard Blu-ray release of Dario Argento’s Suspiria that is absolutely worth every single penny.
As far as other more recent titles, look for Are We Not Cats, Justice League, Children of the Corn: Runaway and Attack of the Southern Fried Zombies this week, and all you cult film fans out there should be sure to check out Scream Factory’s new Blu for The Ambulance, The Church from Scorpion Releasing, as well as a trio of under-appreciated gems from George A. Romero—There’s Always Vanilla, The Crazies,...
As far as other more recent titles, look for Are We Not Cats, Justice League, Children of the Corn: Runaway and Attack of the Southern Fried Zombies this week, and all you cult film fans out there should be sure to check out Scream Factory’s new Blu for The Ambulance, The Church from Scorpion Releasing, as well as a trio of under-appreciated gems from George A. Romero—There’s Always Vanilla, The Crazies,...
- 3/13/2018
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Hnn | Horrornews.net
The “dark animated delight” (Indiewire) Birdboy: The Forgotten Children will be released in a Blu-ray™ + DVD combo on March 13, 2018 by Gkids and Shout! Factory, with bonus features including the highly decorated short film Decorado from co-director Alberto Vázquez. Winner of the Goya Award for Best Animated Feature (where co-director Alberto Vázquez won …
The post Birdboy: The Forgotten Children on Blu-ray™+ DVD March 13, 2018 first appeared on Hnn | Horrornews.net...
The “dark animated delight” (Indiewire) Birdboy: The Forgotten Children will be released in a Blu-ray™ + DVD combo on March 13, 2018 by Gkids and Shout! Factory, with bonus features including the highly decorated short film Decorado from co-director Alberto Vázquez. Winner of the Goya Award for Best Animated Feature (where co-director Alberto Vázquez won …
The post Birdboy: The Forgotten Children on Blu-ray™+ DVD March 13, 2018 first appeared on Hnn | Horrornews.net...
- 3/12/2018
- by Horrornews.net
- Horror News
Earlier today the folks at the Northwest Film Center announced the full line-up for this year’s Portland International Film Festival, and have published a Pdf for all to read online. The printed copies will be making their way around town this week.
The Northwest Film Center is proud to reveal the 41st Portland International Film Festival (Piff 41) lineup. This year’s Festival begins on Thursday, February 15th and runs through Thursday, March 1st. Our Opening Night selection is the new comedy The Death of Stalin from writer/director Armando Iannucci (Veep, In the Loop). The film, adapted from the graphic novel by Fabien Nury, stars Steve Buscemi, Olga Kurylenko, Jason Isaacs, and Michael Palin. The Death of Stalin will screen simultaneously on Opening Night at the Whitsell Auditorium, located in the Portland Art Museum (1219 Sw Park Ave) and on two screens at Regal Fox Tower 10 (846 Sw Park Ave).
Check...
The Northwest Film Center is proud to reveal the 41st Portland International Film Festival (Piff 41) lineup. This year’s Festival begins on Thursday, February 15th and runs through Thursday, March 1st. Our Opening Night selection is the new comedy The Death of Stalin from writer/director Armando Iannucci (Veep, In the Loop). The film, adapted from the graphic novel by Fabien Nury, stars Steve Buscemi, Olga Kurylenko, Jason Isaacs, and Michael Palin. The Death of Stalin will screen simultaneously on Opening Night at the Whitsell Auditorium, located in the Portland Art Museum (1219 Sw Park Ave) and on two screens at Regal Fox Tower 10 (846 Sw Park Ave).
Check...
- 1/30/2018
- by Ryan Gallagher
- CriterionCast
There are three locks for a nomination: “Coco,” “The Breadwinner” and “Loving Vincent.” The question is in a very weak year what two films will round out the field. If the branch turned their nose up at the first “Lego Movie” will they really embrace “The Lego Batman Movie”? “Ferdinand” was incredibly late to the party, but could it sneak in? [Posted Jan. 1]
Frontrunners
“Coco”
“The Breadwinner”
“Loving Vincent”
“The Lego Batman Movie”
“Mary and the Witch’s Flower”
Almost there
“The Boss Baby”
“Despicable Me 3”
“Ferdinand”
Longshots
“The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales”
“Birdboy: The Forgotten Children”
“Captain Underpants The First Epic Movie”
“Cars 3”
“Cinderella the Cat”
“The Emoji Movie”
“Ethel & Ernest”
“The Girl without Hands”
“In This Corner of the World”
“The Lego Ninjago Movie”
“Moomins and the Winter Wonderland”
“My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea”
“Napping Princess”
“A Silent Voice”
“Smurfs: The Lost Village”
“The Star...
Frontrunners
“Coco”
“The Breadwinner”
“Loving Vincent”
“The Lego Batman Movie”
“Mary and the Witch’s Flower”
Almost there
“The Boss Baby”
“Despicable Me 3”
“Ferdinand”
Longshots
“The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales”
“Birdboy: The Forgotten Children”
“Captain Underpants The First Epic Movie”
“Cars 3”
“Cinderella the Cat”
“The Emoji Movie”
“Ethel & Ernest”
“The Girl without Hands”
“In This Corner of the World”
“The Lego Ninjago Movie”
“Moomins and the Winter Wonderland”
“My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea”
“Napping Princess”
“A Silent Voice”
“Smurfs: The Lost Village”
“The Star...
- 1/2/2018
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
Interview: Pedro Rivero and Alberto Vazquez on the Animated Feature: Birdboy: The Forgotten Children
Alberto Vázquez’s debut feature is a darkly comic, mind-bending fantasy based on his own graphic novel and award-winning short film. Co-directed by Pedro Rivero, Birdboy: The Forgotten Children is...
- 12/31/2017
- by Jazz Tangcay
- AwardsDaily.com
Not all fairy tales have happy endings, or are happy in any sense. This year, the case in point for that assertion would be Sébastien Laudenbach’s The Girl Without Hands, an adaptation of a Brothers Grimm yarn which, like the shortlisted Birdboy: The Forgotten Children, dwells in darkness. An ambitious solo passion project that would test its director on every level, Laudenbach’s “one-man movie” tells the story of a miller’s daughter who is sold to the devil, eventually…...
- 12/20/2017
- Deadline
Due to the common affliction of being an enormous wimp when it comes to all things creepy, sinister or generally alarming in films, it means that I passed on movies such as “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” “mother!“, “Raw” and “It” this year. All of which is context when I say “Birdboy: The Forgotten Children” possesses some of the most haunting imagery I’ve witnessed in film across the past twelve months.
Continue reading ‘Birdboy: The Forgotten Children’ Turns The Innocent Into The Macabre [Review] at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Birdboy: The Forgotten Children’ Turns The Innocent Into The Macabre [Review] at The Playlist.
- 12/19/2017
- by Ally Johnson
- The Playlist
“Pitch Perfect 3” leans into its nostalgia from the very first needle drop: Director Trish Sie’s debut entry into the unlikely franchise kicks off with the Bellas – no more “Barden” attached to that moniker, because college is but a distant, sparkling memory to these a capella nerds now – working their way through an energetic and increasingly desperate rendition of Britney Spears’ “Toxic.” This desperation happens to make sense in context, but it’s a feeling that will only spread throughout the rest this mostly limp, tone-deaf entry in this musical series.
As the Bellas amiably chirp through their routine, it becomes obvious that this is no regular performance – for starters, they’re on a yacht, and everyone looks slightly uneasy. Then Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson, game as ever) blows said yacht up, launching “Pitch Perfect 3” into the bizarre imitation of a spy movie, set to the dulcet tones...
As the Bellas amiably chirp through their routine, it becomes obvious that this is no regular performance – for starters, they’re on a yacht, and everyone looks slightly uneasy. Then Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson, game as ever) blows said yacht up, launching “Pitch Perfect 3” into the bizarre imitation of a spy movie, set to the dulcet tones...
- 12/19/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
A24’s “The Disaster Artist” and “Lady Bird” led the pack of specialized successes, again landing in the weekend’s Top 10 chart. Both had to hold off the usual pre-holiday dip as well as the massive draw across all audiences for “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.”
A total of eight recent limited releases expanded this weekend –all their theaters combined add up to about the same number of theaters as “The Last Jedi,” but it grossed 22 times as much as the $10-million total of those eight films combined.
To a large extent grosses this week are gravy on top of past totals and more importantly a build-up to the most lucrative time of the year for adult moviegoing. That starts in earnest on Christmas Day. More viable titles are competing than most years, and not all will be optimally available. But distributors hope to regain their momentum with the return...
A total of eight recent limited releases expanded this weekend –all their theaters combined add up to about the same number of theaters as “The Last Jedi,” but it grossed 22 times as much as the $10-million total of those eight films combined.
To a large extent grosses this week are gravy on top of past totals and more importantly a build-up to the most lucrative time of the year for adult moviegoing. That starts in earnest on Christmas Day. More viable titles are competing than most years, and not all will be optimally available. But distributors hope to regain their momentum with the return...
- 12/17/2017
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
The opening moments of “Birdboy: The Forgotten Children” unfold like an urgent warning to any parents who might think that this is just another kid-friendly animated film about cute animals who learn valuable lessons. “The future is past,” a voice insists from the darkness, speaking in Spanish and accompanied by exclamatory subtitles (an English-language version is also available). “The garbage is the present. Blood is the law!” From there, we’re hurled through the history of a once-vibrant storybook world, a colorful idyll where bunnies and mice and all sorts of creatures lived in harmony until a nuclear disaster scorched the island and turned its survivors against each other.
Adorable silhouettes bleed into red and black monsters, and the nice sounds of nature are replaced by a queasy synth score that sounds like it was borrowed from “The Neon Demon.” Within minutes, we’re introduced to a young mouse named...
Adorable silhouettes bleed into red and black monsters, and the nice sounds of nature are replaced by a queasy synth score that sounds like it was borrowed from “The Neon Demon.” Within minutes, we’re introduced to a young mouse named...
- 12/15/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Even in a post-apocalyptic world, not all hope is lost, as moviegoers will discover when Birdboy: The Forgotten Children comes out in select theaters this December and January. To celebrate the animated film's New York and Los Angeles release on December 15th, Gkids provided us with Birdboy T-shirts and enamel pins to give away to one lucky Daily Dead reader.
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Prize Details: (1) Winner will receive a Birdboy: The Forgotten Children prize pack, including:
(2) Birdboy T-shirts (2) Birdboy enamel pins
How to Enter: We're giving Daily Dead readers multiple chances to enter and win:
1. Email: For a chance to win via email, send an email to contest@dailydead.com with the subject “Birdboy Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.
2. Instagram: Following us on Instagram during the contest period will give you an automatic contest entry. Make sure to follow us at:
https://www.instagram.com/dailydead/
Entry...
---------
Prize Details: (1) Winner will receive a Birdboy: The Forgotten Children prize pack, including:
(2) Birdboy T-shirts (2) Birdboy enamel pins
How to Enter: We're giving Daily Dead readers multiple chances to enter and win:
1. Email: For a chance to win via email, send an email to contest@dailydead.com with the subject “Birdboy Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.
2. Instagram: Following us on Instagram during the contest period will give you an automatic contest entry. Make sure to follow us at:
https://www.instagram.com/dailydead/
Entry...
- 12/13/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
“Loving Vincent” has become the surprise animated indie hit of the season, reaching $20 million worldwide at the box office and grabbing a Golden Globe nomination. An Oscar nom could follow as a result of its innovative experiment in hand-animating 65,000 frames of oil paintings, mimicking Vincent van Gogh’s bold colors and expressive brush strokes.
Read More:‘Loving Vincent’: How an Unknown Distributor Beat Its Competitors to Find This Runaway Hit
But that’s only part of it. By framing it as a speculative murder mystery shot with live-action performances (headlined by Saoirse Ronan and Aidan Turner), directors Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman have created a uniquely immersive animated experience. Their team of 125 painters integrated the performances into the oil painting style of animation through a combination of computer compositing and rotoscoping, thereby achieving a remarkable seven-year, $5.5 million production. (And, yes, it qualifies for Oscar consideration under the rules of...
Read More:‘Loving Vincent’: How an Unknown Distributor Beat Its Competitors to Find This Runaway Hit
But that’s only part of it. By framing it as a speculative murder mystery shot with live-action performances (headlined by Saoirse Ronan and Aidan Turner), directors Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman have created a uniquely immersive animated experience. Their team of 125 painters integrated the performances into the oil painting style of animation through a combination of computer compositing and rotoscoping, thereby achieving a remarkable seven-year, $5.5 million production. (And, yes, it qualifies for Oscar consideration under the rules of...
- 12/13/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
While “The Breadwinner” has deservedly grabbed all of the accolades for GKids (including a Golden Globe nomination), Oscar voters should not overlook another GKid animated feature contender: “Birdboy: The Forgotten Children.” The Spanish dystopian fable, directed by Alberto Vázquez and Pedro Rivero, is the darkest and most daring hand-drawn animated movie of the year. It alternates between the horrific and the comical, and its imagery assaults the viewer like a nightmarish Goya painting.
Indeed, the twisted tale about troubled animated critters living on a post-apocalyptic island first sprung from Vázquez’s graphic novel. It was initially adapted into a short by the two filmmakers as a prequel to the feature. Following an ecological crisis that fosters crime, repression, and drug trafficking, Dinky, a young teen mouse, hatches a plan to escape with her friends, including Birdboy, a shy, tormented bird who lives in a lighthouse and consumes drugs to subdue the demon living inside him.
Indeed, the twisted tale about troubled animated critters living on a post-apocalyptic island first sprung from Vázquez’s graphic novel. It was initially adapted into a short by the two filmmakers as a prequel to the feature. Following an ecological crisis that fosters crime, repression, and drug trafficking, Dinky, a young teen mouse, hatches a plan to escape with her friends, including Birdboy, a shy, tormented bird who lives in a lighthouse and consumes drugs to subdue the demon living inside him.
- 12/12/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Many awards shows are important to the Oscars; they act as divining rods, pointing toward the films in toppling screener piles that most deserve voters’ attentions. However, tomorrow’s announcement of the Screen Actors Award nominees stands alone. Like the other Hollywood guilds, SAG voters actually overlap with the Academy — and no guild is more predictive of the actual race.
SAG TV and film nominating committees attend screenings in eight national markets. When it comes to the final vote, all national SAG/AFTRA members weigh in via online screenings and voting. (Last year’s voters numbered 121,000.) This year’s blissfully brief two-hour SAG Awards will air live January 21, right before Oscar nominations are announced on January 23.
While being slightly more mainstream, SAG Awards voters tend to align with the Academy actors branch and adds momentum to certain races. The SAG Ensemble award often presages the eventual Oscar Best Picture winner: Last year,...
SAG TV and film nominating committees attend screenings in eight national markets. When it comes to the final vote, all national SAG/AFTRA members weigh in via online screenings and voting. (Last year’s voters numbered 121,000.) This year’s blissfully brief two-hour SAG Awards will air live January 21, right before Oscar nominations are announced on January 23.
While being slightly more mainstream, SAG Awards voters tend to align with the Academy actors branch and adds momentum to certain races. The SAG Ensemble award often presages the eventual Oscar Best Picture winner: Last year,...
- 12/12/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Already this week, the 2017 edition of the Black List was released, and two of last year’s selections — “I, Tonya” and “The Post” — became Golden Globe nominees. Completing a trifecta of recent Black List developments, iTunes has curated a page for cinephiles to watch more than 100 films that graduated from the annual list of unproduced gems. Since former development executive Franklin Leonard created the Black List in 2004, more than 325 of its entries have resulted in movies.
Read More:Attention, Female Filmmakers: The Black List and Women In Film Want You For Two Exciting New Labs
Half of the past 20 Best Screenplay Oscars have been presented to writers who first saw their scripts on the list, including Aaron Sorkin (“The Social Network”), Diablo Cody (“Juno”), and Michael Arndt (“Little Miss Sunshine”); among the represented Best Picture winners are “Argo,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” and “Spotlight.” These features can all be found in iTunes’ new Black List “room,...
Read More:Attention, Female Filmmakers: The Black List and Women In Film Want You For Two Exciting New Labs
Half of the past 20 Best Screenplay Oscars have been presented to writers who first saw their scripts on the list, including Aaron Sorkin (“The Social Network”), Diablo Cody (“Juno”), and Michael Arndt (“Little Miss Sunshine”); among the represented Best Picture winners are “Argo,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” and “Spotlight.” These features can all be found in iTunes’ new Black List “room,...
- 12/12/2017
- by Jenna Marotta
- Indiewire
In the official trailer for the post-apocalyptic animated film Birdboy: The Forgotten Children, co-directors Pedro Rivero and Alberto Vázquez show that "there is light and beauty, even in the darkest of worlds":
"Gkids presents Birdboy: The Forgotten Children, opening in New York and Los Angeles on December 15, 2017, and expanding to select cinemas nationwide in January! There is light and beauty, even in the darkest of worlds. Stranded on an island in a post-apocalyptic world, teenager Dinky and her friends hatch a dangerous plan to escape in the hope of finding a better life. Meanwhile, her old friend Birdboy has shut himself off from the world, pursued by the police and haunted by demon tormentors. But unbeknownst to anyone, he contains a secret inside him that could change the world forever. Based on a graphic novel and short film by co-director Alberto Vázquez and winner of the Goya Award for...
"Gkids presents Birdboy: The Forgotten Children, opening in New York and Los Angeles on December 15, 2017, and expanding to select cinemas nationwide in January! There is light and beauty, even in the darkest of worlds. Stranded on an island in a post-apocalyptic world, teenager Dinky and her friends hatch a dangerous plan to escape in the hope of finding a better life. Meanwhile, her old friend Birdboy has shut himself off from the world, pursued by the police and haunted by demon tormentors. But unbeknownst to anyone, he contains a secret inside him that could change the world forever. Based on a graphic novel and short film by co-director Alberto Vázquez and winner of the Goya Award for...
- 12/7/2017
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Birdboy: The Forgotten Children is co-directed by Spain's Pedro Rivero & Alberto Vázquez based on a short film they created in 2011 of the same name. The film will hit select theaters in the Us on December 15th this year.
Synopsis:
There is light and beauty, even in the darkest of worlds. Stranded on an island in a post-apocalyptic world, teenager Dinky and her friends hatch a dangerous plan to escape in the hope of finding a better life. Meanwhile, her old friend Birdboy has shut himself off from the world, pursued by the police and haunted by demon tormentors. But unbeknownst to anyone, he contains a secret inside him that could change the world forever.
Birdboy features the voice talents of [Continued ...]...
Synopsis:
There is light and beauty, even in the darkest of worlds. Stranded on an island in a post-apocalyptic world, teenager Dinky and her friends hatch a dangerous plan to escape in the hope of finding a better life. Meanwhile, her old friend Birdboy has shut himself off from the world, pursued by the police and haunted by demon tormentors. But unbeknownst to anyone, he contains a secret inside him that could change the world forever.
Birdboy features the voice talents of [Continued ...]...
- 12/4/2017
- QuietEarth.us
"I want to help you, but I don't know how." GKids has released a brand new Us trailer for the animated film Birdboy: The Forgotten Children, which is finally arriving in limited Us theaters this December. This first premiered back in 2015 and played at festivals throughout 2016, but hasn't ever been available in the Us until now. Based on a graphic novel and short film by co-directors Pedro Rivero and Alberto Vázquez, Birdboy: The Forgotten Children is a darkly comic, beautiful and haunting tale of coming of age in a world gone to ruin. Featuring the voices of Félix Arcarazo, Andrea Alzuri, Eva Ojanguren, Josu Cubero, Jorge Carrero, and Nuria Marín. Even though this is arriving a few years late, it looks like an intriguing post-apocalyptic animated feature that's a bit different than what we normally see. Might be worth a watch. New Us trailer for Pedro Rivero & Alberto Vázquez's Birdboy: The Forgotten Children,...
- 12/4/2017
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
It takes less than a minute into the newest trailer for the Goya Award-winning “Birdboy: The Forgotten Children” to set itself far apart from its more kid-leaning brethren. You’ll know the moment when you see it — hint: it involves at least one child being asked if they’re on drugs — and it’s one that sets the tone for a lush, terrifying, and wholly original take on the coming-of-age story so often aimed at the younger set.
Read More:gkids’ Top 10 Best Box Office Performers, From Studio Ghibli and Beyond
Alberto Vázquez’s debut feature, which he co-wrote and directed alongside Pedro Rivera, is billed as “a darkly comic, mind-bending fantasy” that is based on their award-winning short film. It recently picked up the Goya for Best Animated Feature earlier this year (Vázquez, no slouch, also won Best Animated Short Film for his similarly dark “Decorado” at that same ceremony...
Read More:gkids’ Top 10 Best Box Office Performers, From Studio Ghibli and Beyond
Alberto Vázquez’s debut feature, which he co-wrote and directed alongside Pedro Rivera, is billed as “a darkly comic, mind-bending fantasy” that is based on their award-winning short film. It recently picked up the Goya for Best Animated Feature earlier this year (Vázquez, no slouch, also won Best Animated Short Film for his similarly dark “Decorado” at that same ceremony...
- 11/29/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Before making his second directorial outing Birdboy: The Forgotten Children, Spanish writer-director Alberto Vázquez had the benefit of a long time spent with the material. Adapted from Psiconautas, a dark coming-of-age comic he wrote and subsequently turned into a short film, Birdboy saw Vázquez team with Pedro Rivero in the making of a unique animated film. A pink-skied, post-apocalyptic tale rife with fear for the future of the planet, Birdboy is led by a cast of…...
- 11/22/2017
- Deadline
With a wide field of potential contenders, the Producers Guild of America made some surprise picks and snubs for its seven nominees for Best Feature Documentary on Monday. The films nominated for the Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures are listed below in alphabetical order:
“Chasing Coral” (Jeff Orlowski, Netflix)
“City of Ghosts” (Mattew Heineman, Amazon)
“Cries from Syria” (Evgeny Afineevsky, HBO)
“Earth: One Amazing Day” (Peter Webber, Lixin Fan, Richard Dale, BBC Earth)
“Jane” (Brett Morgen, NatGeo)
“Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower” (Joe Piscatella, Netflix)
“The Newspaperman: The Life and Times of Ben Bradlee” (John Maggio, HBO)
Among the lauded documentaries left off the 2017 PGA nominations were Cannes documentary winner “Faces Places,” directed by Agnes Varda and Jr, Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady’s portrait of Brooklyn Hassidim, “One of Us,” and popular Turkish cat documentary “Kedi.”
While the PGA’s feature nominees often align with Oscar contenders,...
“Chasing Coral” (Jeff Orlowski, Netflix)
“City of Ghosts” (Mattew Heineman, Amazon)
“Cries from Syria” (Evgeny Afineevsky, HBO)
“Earth: One Amazing Day” (Peter Webber, Lixin Fan, Richard Dale, BBC Earth)
“Jane” (Brett Morgen, NatGeo)
“Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower” (Joe Piscatella, Netflix)
“The Newspaperman: The Life and Times of Ben Bradlee” (John Maggio, HBO)
Among the lauded documentaries left off the 2017 PGA nominations were Cannes documentary winner “Faces Places,” directed by Agnes Varda and Jr, Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady’s portrait of Brooklyn Hassidim, “One of Us,” and popular Turkish cat documentary “Kedi.”
While the PGA’s feature nominees often align with Oscar contenders,...
- 11/21/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Twenty-six features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 90th Academy Awards®.
The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are:
“The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales”
“Birdboy: The Forgotten Children”
“The Boss Baby”
“The Breadwinner”
“Captain Underpants The First Epic Movie”
“Cars 3”
“Cinderella the Cat”
“Coco”
“Despicable Me 3”
“The Emoji Movie”
“Ethel & Ernest”
“Ferdinand”
“The Girl without Hands”
“In This Corner of the World”
“The Lego Batman Movie”
“The Lego Ninjago Movie”
“Loving Vincent”
“Mary and the Witch’s Flower”
“Moomins and the Winter Wonderland”
“My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea”
“Napping Princess”
“A Silent Voice”
“Smurfs: The Lost Village”
“The Star”
“Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale”
“Window Horses The Poetic Persian Epiphany of Rosie Ming”
Ferdinand. Tm and © 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.
Several of the films have not yet had their required Los Angeles qualifying run.
The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are:
“The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales”
“Birdboy: The Forgotten Children”
“The Boss Baby”
“The Breadwinner”
“Captain Underpants The First Epic Movie”
“Cars 3”
“Cinderella the Cat”
“Coco”
“Despicable Me 3”
“The Emoji Movie”
“Ethel & Ernest”
“Ferdinand”
“The Girl without Hands”
“In This Corner of the World”
“The Lego Batman Movie”
“The Lego Ninjago Movie”
“Loving Vincent”
“Mary and the Witch’s Flower”
“Moomins and the Winter Wonderland”
“My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea”
“Napping Princess”
“A Silent Voice”
“Smurfs: The Lost Village”
“The Star”
“Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale”
“Window Horses The Poetic Persian Epiphany of Rosie Ming”
Ferdinand. Tm and © 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.
Several of the films have not yet had their required Los Angeles qualifying run.
- 11/11/2017
- by Michelle Hannett
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
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