121 The 14th Professional Encounters on Writing for Animated Film at Fontevraud Abbey: Animation, Roman Art, and Fashion Week ...
- Clément Martin
- Nov 8
- 8 min read
The 14th Creation Encounters took place on October 10 and 11 at the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud. Unlike animation film festivals—where choosing between screenings, making-ofs, pitches, meetings, and live scriptwriting feels less like a Cornelian dilemma and more like pure sadism, with heavy remorse battling the pleasures of choice—these encounters offer the joy of devoting ourselves entirely to listening to creators. They open the doors to the mysteries of how an animated film is conceived.
We're off!
After waking up at dawn to catch the ‘Animabus’ to Fontevraud, we never tire of rediscovering this grand monument before heading to the refectory. The day kicks off with the film projects presented by the artists in residence, followed by speeches from the event’s organizers!"
Feature films in development
While there may be some uncertainty about the current and future economic situation of animated cinema, the ongoing feature film projects still show a certain vigor, with five projects presented this year.
We had the opportunity to delve into the creative process behind "Le Corset", the upcoming feature film by Louis Clichy, which will mark our 'inclination' toward the agricultural Beauce region. If Louis Clichy has lost none of the inspiration from the animation classics he showcased in his first short film, A quoi ça sert l'amour? (2004), he harnesses it here for a deeper, more grounded story : that of a young boy, the son of a farmer, struggling with a physical disability.
You can watch Louis Clichy’s first short film here: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xz1vy7.
With the project Les Enfants de la Liberté by Rémy Schaepman and Léahn Vivier-Chapas, we discovered a future spy film in which children find themselves entangled in a terrorist plot in New York during the early 1940s."
We can also mention Fleur, the upcoming feature film by Rémi Chayé, which takes place at the beginning of the last century in the 'Zone' of Paris.
This project's presentation included a reading of an excerpt from the script and two songs performed by Salomé Boulven, accompanied on piano by Rémi Chayé. Salomé Boulven also lends her voice to Fleur, the heroine of the film.
We also learned about two other short film projects:
"Starseed" by Anca Damian, who is preparing an ecological fable where myths intertwine with baroque metaphysics in a magical imagery that only she can conjure.
Isabelle Vanini and Anca Damian discuss the creation of Starseed – Photo by Clément Martin 
Starseed by Anca Damian – Image source Africa, ecology, and the film’s contemporary mythology are a logical extension of her previous feature, The Island, which is sure to delight her many fans.
You can watch the trailer for The Island (2023) sur https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfSvKvqfWwg
And Lucy Lost by Olivier Clert, which tells the story of a young girl’s childhood on an island in the Scilly archipelago, where a mystery awaits discovery...
Animated Documentary: Everything is a Matter of Recording!
It’s not one, but two César Award winners for Best Animated Short Film who came to present their work-in-progress short film:
Marine Laclotte, César winner in 2022 for "Folie douce, folie dure"
Émilie Pigeard, César winner in 2023 for "La vie sexuelle de mamie" (Granny's Sexual Life)
Marine Laclotte’s film, "Un monde comme ça", is built from recordings of children in a school, capturing their sharp and uncompromising perspective on the world. You can watch an excerpt of the project here https://vimeo.com/931004537
Émilie Pigeard’s short film, "Somniloquence", immerses us in the intimacy of her sleep to explore the phenomenon of sleep-talking. The film is constructed from recordings made using a mobile app whenever she speaks in her sleep.
The Return of the Little Cat
Two César Awards weren’t enough, we had to talk about the César and Oscar-winning, 2024 box-office king: "Flow". The delighted producer, Ron Dyens, showed us the original and unconventional work of Gints Zilbalodis in creating this film. As often happens, you can sense the admiring complicity between Ron Dyens and his director. A small budget, global success, and the highest honors—this film proudly flies the flag for animation. For those who haven’t seen the film yet, you can watch the trailer on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vob8AGZM4Wc
Studious Pins
Last year, we were fortunate to have Michèle Lemieux present on creating with the Parker-Alexeieff pins screen. If you’re unfamiliar with this unique instrument, you can learn more by reading (1) and (2).
This year, a presentation on the same pins screen brought together two directors who participated in the initial training organized in Annecy in 2015 with Michèle Lemieux and the CNC:
Florence Miailhe, a defining figure in French animated painting, needs no introduction. She is the only director to have won the André Martin Award for both a feature film and a short film (4), (5).
Pierre-Luc Granjon, renowned for his stop-motion films, achieved the short film grand slam at Annecy, winning the Cristal, the André Martin Award, and the Audience Award (6).
Both artists shared their experiences working with such a unique instrument.
We were treated to excerpts from Pierre-Luc Granjon’s endearing "Les bottes de la nuit" (The Night Boots), a film that captivates both children and adults with the nocturnal adventures of a little boy in the forest. "Les bottes de la nuit": The lake where monsters aren’t what they seem... [Source: Annecy Festival]
!["Les bottes de la nuit": The lake where monsters aren’t what they seem... [Source: Annecy Festival]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/52e2b4_e0ff82d7f0894d4bb33dce2eac93e586~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_764,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/52e2b4_e0ff82d7f0894d4bb33dce2eac93e586~mv2.jpg)
Then, we discovered—or rediscovered—on the big screen Florence Miailhe’s rarely screened "25, Passage des Oiseaux" (1), a stunning film created during a "test" on the pin screen. Mastered by this virtuoso, the instrument fully reveals the director’s signature style.
You can watch "25, Passage des Oiseaux" on : https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3286175124728585
Roundtable: Japanese Animation and Its Influences
This presentation featured lively exchanges among Japan and Japanese animation enthusiasts, some of whom have been fans since the 1970s, when Japanese animation flooded television screens, followed by restrictions in the 1980s to promote French productions.
The discussion was undoubtedly fascinating but challenging for non-specialists to follow, as there were no visual illustrations or film excerpts shown. Personally, I would have loved for Jérémie Périn to delve deeper into how Japanese animated cinema influenced the making of his recent and highly successful sci-fi thriller, "Mars Express" (8).
Art Roman: Follow the Guide !
The planned meeting with Andrea Martignoni, an Italian sound designer and animation historian, unfortunately couldn’t take place. Instead, Xavier Kawa-Topor organized a visit to the Abbey during that time slot.
Founded in 1101 by Robert d’Arbrissel, the Abbey of Fontevraud suffered 15 years of degradation after the French Revolution. In 1804, it was converted into a prison, with the last inmates leaving in 1985. With Xavier Kawa-Topor’s insightful commentary, we wandered through the nave of the abbey church, the cloister, and other buildings, including a mysterious structure with multiple chimneys—believed to have been a kitchen or smokehouse.
André Martin, a passionate advocate of Romanesque art (7), would have loved this visit!
Fashion Week: The Grand Prize
After 14 years, NEF Animation finally awarded a prize for creative journeys—spontaneously deciding to honor the most beautiful animation T-shirt... and the winner is yours truly! 🎉
This "distinction" rewards a T-shirt featuring a character from René Laloux’s "La Planète Sauvage" (1973). It’s true that Xavier Kawa-Topor co-wrote a book with Fabrice Blin about the epic production of this animated film ... which strongly influenced the "improvised jury" of this playful award. :-) For more on "La Planète Sauvage" and its production saga, read (9).
Meeting with Alê Abreu
The 2025 event concluded on an international note, welcoming two Brazilian directors: Viviane Guimarães and Alê Abreu. Viviane Guimarães, who co-directs films with Abreu, also served as the Portuguese-French translator while sharing insights into their collaborative work.
Alê Abreu began his animation career in 1993 with his short film "Sirius", but it was his second feature, "The Boy and the World" ("O Menino e o Mundo", 2013), that brought him widespread acclaim. The film won the Cristal Award at Annecy and the Grand Prix for Best Feature Film at Animafest Zagreb in 2014 (among 51 other awards), and was nominated for an Oscar in 2016. Through the eyes of a child, the film contrasts the innocence of youth with the pessimism of adulthood.
Viviane Guimarães began collaborating with Alê Abreu as co-director on "Perlimps" (2022). Today, they form a creative duo, with Guimarães contributing to writing, storyboarding, and animation.
Given that Alê Abreu was deeply influenced by René Laloux’s "La Planète Sauvage" and "Les Maîtres du Temps" (10), it’s only fitting that this playful "Fashion Week" moment and the "Most Beautiful Animation T-Shirt" award found their place !
For those who missed these vibrant creative encounters, know that this was a marathon as dense as it was joyful. So don’t miss the next "Rencontres de la Création" at Fontevraud in October 2026. Yes, you’ll be "imprisoned" for two days in the world of animated cinema and the mysteries of its creation "within the walls of a former prison" but what a joy to come together and experience the spiritual essence of this art.
References & Further Reading
1) 94 Le Carrefour du Cinéma d'Animation 2024 a du piquant !
(2) 22 Jacques Drouin, l'apporteur d'épingles (1943-2021) : passion et transmission.
(3) 115 - Annecy 2025 : Les Bottes de la nuit, le grand chelem !
(4) 28 Prix André-Martin du long-métrage 2022-Durant La Traversée le jury a pris le bon chemin.
(5) 86 Prix André Martin 2024 pour un court-métrage : "Papillon", la mémoire de l'eau.
(6) 115 - Annecy 2025 : Les Bottes de la nuit, le grand chelem !
(7) 113 - Plaisirs de patrimoine durent un moment : Ils avaient la couleur !
(8) 64 Mars Express : Embarquement immédiat !
(9) 65 - Une jeune planète : "La planète sauvage" a 50 ans.
(10) Les Esprits de la forêt : Alê Abreu revient au grand écran avec « Perlimps »
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