Venice Film Festival Selects ‘Boxtrolls’ And Two Animated Shorts

The Venice Film Festival, the world’s oldest film festival, announced the line-up today for their 71st edition. The festival is known for not giving much consideration to animated cinema, but they always throw in a few animated films. This year, their sole animated feature selection, among over fifty-plus films, is Anthony Stacchi and Graham Annable’s The Boxtrolls, which will screen in the out-of-competition category.

“This is an incredible honor for LAIKA and our film,” said Travis Knight, who is the producer and lead animator of Boxtrolls as well as the president and CEO of LAIKA. “To be singled out by one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals is an utter joy and an enormous validation for the hundreds of artists whose talents make our films come to life.”

Boxtrolls will screen in Venice on Sunday, August 31st. The film opens on September 12 in the UK and Mexico, and on September 26 in the United States and Canada.

The Venice festival also selected two animated shorts this year: the Brazilian Castillo y el Armado directed by Pedro Harres, which will screen in competition, and the Italian film L’Attesa del Maggio, directed by Simone Massi, screening out of competition.

Here’s the trailer for Castillo y el Armado:

For the full list of films at Venice, visit their website.