The 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival commenced yesterday with the global debut of Illumination‘s Minions & Monsters, in a launch event that mixed industry presentations with a somber remembrance of the late graphic novelist and filmmaker Marjane Satrapi.
The most poignant segment of the inauguration involved local official François Astorg. The mayor of Annecy dedicated a portion of his address to Satrapi, who passed away earlier this month. Astorg referenced her acclaimed works, such as Persepolis and Woman, Life, Freedom, framing her legacy around the ongoing struggle for artistic and personal liberty. He urged the creative community in attendance to continue utilizing animation as a vital medium for challenging audiences and shaping public discourse.
Festival director Marcel Jean presided over the evening’s formalities, acknowledging the jury, international dignitaries, and notable attendees, which included an unannounced appearance by Mexican director Guillermo del Toro. During the proceedings, Jean presented Illumination chief executive Chris Meledandri with a commemorative handprint plaque destined for the upcoming La Cité internationale du cinéma d’animation hall of fame.
The screening marked a continuation of the studio’s historical ties with the French municipality, dating back to the inaugural Despicable Me showing in 2010. Addressing the audience, Meledandri credited the workforce at Illumination Studios Paris for their role in sustaining the franchise, which has accumulated over $5 billion in global ticket sales. He also elaborated on the creative direction of Minions & Monsters, noting that the narrative relocates the characters to 1920s Los Angeles. According to the executive, the historical backdrop functions as a tribute to early silent cinema icons like Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, and Buster Keaton, centering around a specific Minion who aspires to produce a motion picture. Helmed by Pierre Coffin, who made a brief appearance to introduce the screening, the feature closed out the first night’s programming. The picture will enter domestic theaters in the United States on July 1, positioning the French market as the initial testing ground for one of the major studio releases of the summer season.
