119 Arco : the show you’ll echo !
- Clément Martin
- Oct 20
- 4 min read
Ugo Bienvenu’s first feature film, Arco, hits French theatres on Wednesday, October 22, and in the US on November 14.
This highly anticipated animated film already promises to be a remarkable success on the big screen.
Premiered last June at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Arco received the Fondation Gan Special Prize as part of the 2023 Creation Award. Selected at Cannes, the film went on to win the Cristal Award and the SACEM Prize for Original Music in the feature film category at Annecy 2025.
The English version had its world premiere in the “Centerpiece” section of the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7.
The Director
Ugo Bienvenu studied at École Estienne, Gobelins, l’école de l’image, CalArts in Los Angeles, as well as at Les Arts Décoratifs de Paris and through the Animation Sans Frontières program.
A prolific artist, he first gained recognition through his short films, graphic novels, music videos, and animated segments for documentaries, as well as campaigns for luxury brands and a mini-series for Marvel and Disney.
He directed ARCO, his first feature film, within the production company Remembers, which he co-runs with Félix de Givry, and where he also serves as a producer.
ARCO — France, 2025 — 1h28
Directed by Ugo BienvenuWritten by Ugo Bienvenu and Félix de Givry
Produced by Félix de Givry, Sophie Mas, Natalie Portman, Ugo Bienvenu
Music by Arnaud Toulon
Executive Producers Audrey Tondre, Remembers Studio
Art Direction & Character Design Ugo Bienvenu
Art Supervision Félix de GivryStoryboard Ugo Bienvenu, Adam Sillard, Jocelyn Charles, Tamerlan Bekmurzayev
Animation Direction Adam SillardAssistant Director Anaëlle Saba
Design Assistant Simon Cadilhac
Compositing Supervision Benoît Galland
Background Color & Stylization Louise Seynhaeve, Ugo Bienvenu, Fabio Besse
Background Supervision Fabio BesseColorscript Louise Seynhaeve
Post-production Supervision Clara Vincienne
Editing Nathan Jacquard
Assistant Editor Albert Bonnier
Sound Design Nicolas Becker
Sound Editing Andrea Ferrara
Mixing Damien Lazzerini
Foley Grégory Vincent
A co-production with France 3 Cinéma and with the participation of Netflix, France Télévisions, Diaphana, and Goodfellas Animation
Voices Zoya Bogomolova (Ada), Wyatt Danieluk (Clifford), Romy Fay (Iris), Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Flea, Natalie Portman, Mark Ruffalo, Andy Samberg
Arco takes us on a futuristic adventure. The film follows the journey of a young boy, Arco, who lives in the year 2 932 and travels back in time to 2 075, using a mysterious cloak and crystal that enable him to move through time.
The “journey” is far from being under control for our young hero. He ends up in the year 2 075, where Iris discovers him in the forest after a violent fall.
The arrival of this extra-temporal being in Iris’s world triggers a series of adventures and twists, as Arco tries to find his way back to the space-time of his parents.
Blending science fiction, with robots and time travel, and ecological fable, through the presence of nature and the effects of climate change, the film movingly portrays the deep friendship that grows between Iris and Arco.
The film also offers, as a backdrop, a reflection on the consequences of disobedience and transgression, as all these adventures stem from the use of time-travel devices intended for adults and forbidden to children.
Ugo Bienvenu and his team have brought together all the ingredients of a successful family spectacle:
A script whose main storyline has already proven globally successful with E.T., filled with twists and suspense that fully engage the audience;
Picturesque characters, such as the trio Dougie, Stewie, and Frankie — as comical as they are threatening to Arco’s mission to return;
Emotion in the relationships between characters that deeply resonate;
Music by Arnaud Toulon, award-winning at Annecy, providing the film with the support of this classic ally of spectacular cinema;
Carefully crafted sets and backgrounds;
Sound design by Nicolas Becker, so crucial in animation.
Finally, the evident inspiration from the imagination and style of Japanese animation, particularly Studio Ghibli, is sure to delight parents who bring their children to this film.
You can watch the teaser trailer on : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNUkW6ywV-c
We wish Arco the same success in France and internationally as a certain little cat enjoyed last year, taking it from the César to the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature (1) !
Young spectators, get ready, this is Arco, the show you’ll echo ! With all the ingredients of a hit, it will captivate audiences just as Studio Ghibli films enchanted your parents.
To be continued !
(1) 105 Oscar 2025 : Attention un doublé peut en cacher un autre ! (in french)
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