{"id":3116,"date":"2026-06-27T11:36:03","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T11:36:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=3116"},"modified":"2026-06-27T11:36:03","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T11:36:03","slug":"annecy-young-audience-award-winner-into-the-forest-finds-freedom-through-imagination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=3116","title":{"rendered":"Annecy Young Audience Award Winner \u2018Into the Forest\u2019 Finds Freedom Through Imagination"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div>\n<!-- do not apply CSS styles to this element! --><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>\n\tSwiss filmmaker Antonin Niclass brings imagination to life in \u201cInto the Forest,\u201d a stop-motion short which won Friday the Young Audience Award at the Annecy Animation Festival.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=3114\">\u2018Pinocchio Unstrung\u2019 Sees Wooden Doll Covered in Flesh and Blood as Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield Teases \u2018Kooky, Crazy and Fun\u2019 \u2018Avengers\u2019-Style \u2018Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n\tProduced by Milos-Films and shot at H\u00e9lium Films\u2019 studios in Switzerland\u2019s Lausanne, the short follows three handcrafted monkeys who transform a cold animation studio into a vibrant jungle through creativity, collaboration and resourcefulness.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\n\tThe production also features the puppet of Oshi, the baby orangutan from Claude Barras\u2019 \u201cSavages\u201d (2024), through a collaboration with Nadasdy Film.<\/p>\n<p>\n\tA graduate of the National Film and Television School in the U.K., Niclass has become a familiar name at Annecy following previous selections with \u201cDo Not Feed the Pigeons\u201d (2021) and \u201cCoup de Th\u00e9\u00e2tre\u201d (2022).<\/p>\n<p>\n\tWith \u201cInto the Forest,\u201d he turns his attention to younger audiences while crafting a layered work that celebrates the artistry of stop-motion animation itself. Blending meticulous handcrafted animation with expressive sound design and an evolving electronic score, the film explores themes of belonging, creativity and the power of collaboration.<\/p>\n<p>\n<em>Variety <\/em>spoke with Niclass ahead of the film\u2019s premiere \u2013 and win \u2013 at Annecy.<\/p>\n<p>\n<strong>\u201cInto the Forest\u201d begins with the subject breaking free of his animation rig. Can you discuss your work on that sequence?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\n\tThe initial goal was to introduce stop motion animation concepts to children. Our monkey comes to life, animated by human hands, but then he breaks free of his chains and needs to find his own path. This is the moment a puppet stops being an object and becomes a character. In a way, as filmmakers, we lose control over the character we depict; it becomes an autonomous entity in people\u2019s minds. Symbolically, this sets the theme immediately: creation is an act of emancipation.<\/p>\n<p>\n\tOn a technical level, it was a lot of fun for animator Timoth\u00e9e Crabb\u00e9 to shape the movement and think about how to mix live action hands and a stop motion orangutang. It\u2019s one of the rare films where the rig doesn\u2019t get erased in post-production.<\/p>\n<p>\n<strong>Music plays a key role in bringing the monkeys\u2019 world to life. How did you approach the film\u2019s musical identity?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\n\tSince the film has no dialogue, relying only on monkey cries to carry the narrative, music is a vital part of the journey. Together with sounds designer Loic Kreyden and composer Fabio Amurri, we crafted a score that begins with more mechanical, industrial rhythms reflecting the cold studio, then evolving into more melodic patterns and natural ambient sounds.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=3112\">Warner Bros. Animation Sneak Peeks \u2018Get Jiro,\u2019 Teases Gerry Anderson\u2019s \u2018Hit Squad,\u2019 Announces \u2018Dark Shadows\u2019 Animated Series at Annecy Adult Animation Showcase<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n\tI wanted something playful that builds up as the film progresses, before revealing its full strength when their own magnificent, homemade jungle unveils itself. We tried many approaches with Fabio, initially aiming for a more traditional, jungle-focused adventure style with percussions. However, we realised our story wasn\u2019t set in Borneo, but in a stop-motion studio in Lausanne\u2026 We therefore opted for a rather electronic approach using synthesisers to follow the emotional journey and discoveries of our little monkeys.<\/p>\n<p>\n<strong>What is the message you hope viewers take away after watching the journey of the subjects of this film?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\n\tI hope the youngest viewers will enjoy discovering these little monkeys seeking to create a home. We didn\u2019t want to simply make a behind-the-scenes of an animation film; rather, we aimed to firmly root the film\u2019s educational aspect within a gripping story, where the characters find salvation through their imagination and a form of artistic creation as they build their own forest.<\/p>\n<p>\n\tBeyond the technical aspects of filmmaking, the core message is one of resourcefulness. These monkeys, stuck in a cold studio, use their imagination and whatever is at hand to create their own jungle. It is rough and makeshift, but it\u2019s theirs. I also hope the audience feels the joy of collective creation and teamwork. The three monkeys work together, combining their skills to achieve a common goal. And this benefits others as well.<\/p>\n<p>\n<strong>What does it mean to you to premiere \u201cInto the Forest\u201d at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival?<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\tLiving in Switzerland, just around the corner from Annecy (with my grandmother born only 30 minutes away from here), it took me surprisingly long to grasp the festival\u2019s true magnitude. The realisation really hit when I returned with the NFTS, my film school in the U.K. It felt like coming home, yet seen through entirely new eyes.<\/p>\n<p>\n\tSince then, my journey here has continued: from my graduation film, \u201cDo Not Feed The Pigeons,\u201d to \u201cCoup de Th\u00e9\u00e2tre,\u201d a commissioned project the following year.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\n\tCrafting a film for young audiences was an unexpected challenge for me, and a very exciting one. Being selected for competition is a profound honour. It feels incredibly special to share this work with a global audience, talented peers as well as children, practically from my backyard.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=3110\">Appeals Court Upholds Harvey Weinstein\u2019s L.A. Rape Conviction But Orders New Sentence<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Swiss filmmaker Antonin Niclass discusses imagination, teamwork and stop-motion artistry behind \u2018Into the Forest.\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3115,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[344,2593],"class_list":["post-3116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film","tag-annecy-animation-festival","tag-antonin-niclass"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Annecy Young Audience Award Winner \u2018Into the Forest\u2019 Finds Freedom Through Imagination - Relocation Observer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=3116\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Annecy Young Audience Award Winner \u2018Into the Forest\u2019 Finds Freedom Through Imagination - 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