ANNECY, France — Félix Dufour-Laperrière’s hand-drawn feature Death Does Not Exist made its competition bow at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on 8 June. The screening follows the film’s world premiere in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight on 15 May, where it opened the sidebar’s 57th edition.
Set in a magical valley scarred by political violence, the 72-minute drama tracks activist Hélène, who flees after a failed armed action against wealthy landowners and is confronted by the ghost of her comrade Manon. Best Friend Forever’s sales notes add that the story probes “convictions, loyalty and connections” as natural forces warp around the two women.
The project is a Canadian-French co-production between Quebec’s Embuscade Films and Paris-based Miyu Productions. UFO Distribution will handle the French theatrical release, while Maison 4:3 covers Canada, with Brussels-based Best Friend Forever steering international sales. The voice cast includes Karelle Tremblay and Zeneb Blanchet, with original music by Montreal singer-songwriter Patrick Watson and sound design from Olivier Calvert.
Development began under Annecy’s Work-in-Progress showcase in 2024, continuing a festival relationship that stretches back to the director’s Archipelago, which earned a Contrechamp jury distinction in 2021. Dufour-Laperrière, now on his third feature after Ville Neuve and Archipelago, says the new film “starts from deep anger” and wrestles with the tensions between radical action and the limits of violence.
Early reactions emphasize the film’s heady mix of hand-painted imagery and existential unease; Screen Anarchy called it “existential angst in animated form,” praising its looping narrative structure. With Annecy critics spotlighting its political edge and lyrical visuals, distributors report brisk interest from arthouse buyers seeking distinctive adult animation.
