Who is Ruling the Bal in Annecy?

Who is lying on the beach and looking at stars in the sky? Why isn't everybody exited about the sea and by the beautiful surroundings, and why are their thoughts very far from here? Have you ever seen how thousands of animation artists, producers, scriptwriters, caricaturists, painters, directors, students, and almost all the populations of the nearest villages come to the beach in the evening and watch animation all night long? Of course, you can ask, what are they doing during the day? The same! During the day, there is fun, entertainment, a good atmosphere, and of course, animation screenings are held all over town.

Have you ever been to the Bal of Her Majesty Animation? No? So, it's time to come!

For more than 30 years, thousands of professionals working in the field of animation have been coming to Annecy, a small French town, to attend the Annecy Animated Festival that is the biggest event in the world for animation. The festival includes a competition program, interesting workshops and conferences, master classes and MIFA, the market where everybody can take a stand and try to sell their animated works. There is something for everyone: professors give master classes, students look for work, fans are watching their favorite animated films, producers and distributors meet buyers, while day and night, authors are battling it out for the victory in the competition.

Everyone who is accredited receives not only two huge market and festival catalogues, but also bicycle. And nothing wrong if you don't feel very sportive, your passion for animation will replace everything. Take the bicycle and come from festival's center to the market or to various screenings that are held in different parts of the town!

And what do the festival's figures say?

Last year, 100,000 tickets were counted, 5,700 accredited professionals including 161 buyers and 290 journalists covered the event. The new-look MIFA continued to appeal to the 250 exhibitors and 14,000 professionals from 62 countries with its Chill Out, Buyers' Club and digital video library. The Creative Focus and Job Fair confirmed its importance as the place for creators and talent scouts to meet, and the 10th International Project Competition revealed the artists of the future. From the almost 500 films screened throughout the week, 260 made up the Annecy 2006 official selection, with 213 in competition from 35 countries. There were a number of world "premiers" this year to open the Festival, " U" by Gregoire Solotareff and Serge Elissalde, " Monster House" by Gil Kenan (produced by Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis), " Piccolo, Saxo et Compagnie" by Eric Guttierez, and some sneak previews: " Azur et Asmar" by Michel Ocelot, Pixar's latest, " Cars" by John Lasseter, " Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" by Hayao Miyasaki, " Nagasaki 1945 The Angelus Bells" by Seiji Arihara and Barefoot " Gen" by Mori Masaki. The festival was delighted to welcome Tim Burton as a special guest. He answered questions after the exceptional screening of Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride" and accepted an honorary award during the closing ceremony. Michel Ocelot, Moebius, Quino, Carlos Saldanha, Osvaldo Cavandoli, Gil Kenan, Luc Demarchelier were among other honored guests. Other remarkable retrospectives including politically incorrect films, "The Silly Symphonies" and " When Animation Meets the Living", confirmed that last year's Festival was based on diversity and talent in all fields of animation.

You already see that Her Majesty Animation has her own glamour Bal? The next Annecy Animated Festival will be held on the 11-16 June, and MIFA will open its doors on 13-15 June. Come and see everything with your own eyes! Even if you don't win the main award, you will always remember a week of sleepless nights under the open star filled sky, full of animation and fun.