In a surprise appearance, global superstar Pharrell Williams presented Meledandri with the Festival’s distinguished honor, a ‘Golden Ticket’ lifetime accreditation; Oscar-nominated filmmaker Benjamin Renner joined the studio chief in the footage reveal of their upcoming December animated comedy adventure release.
Today at Annecy 2023, Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri, the creative visionary behind The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the Despicable Me and Minions franchise, the Sing and Secret Life of Pets films, and the upcoming holiday action comedy, Migration, was presented with a “Golden Ticket” lifetime accreditation from the Annecy International Film Festival. In a surprise appearance, two-time Oscar nominee and Grammy-winning global superstar Pharrell Williams presented Meledandri with the Festival’s distinguished honor.
Williams, a longtime creative partner with Illumination, earned his first Academy Award nomination for the joyful blockbuster song “Happy” from Illumination’s Despicable Me 2.
Meledandri was attending Annecy with Oscar-nominated filmmaker Benjamin Renner to reveal exclusive footage of Illumination’s new feature film Migration (in theatres December 22), which stars Oscar nominee Kumail Nanjani and Elizabeth Banks and written by Emmy winner Mike White.
Annecy Festival’s Artistic Director Marcel Jean said, "The collaboration between Illumination and Annecy has been a determining factor in the festival’s recent development. The trust that Chris Meledandri has placed in us, in particular during the various film launches for the Despicable Me franchise, has been a tremendous boost to our development. Awarding the Golden Ticket to Chris Meledandri symbolizes how significant this bond is for Annecy."
Mickaël Marin, CITIA’s CEO, added, "Chris Meledandri has been instrumental in changing the way feature films are produced. By choosing to produce in Europe, and in particular in France, he has unified the best of two continents. It is this visionary ethos that we want to celebrate."
As noted, Meledandri is at the festival to present a first look at Illumination’s upcoming animated film Migration, coming this holiday season. The action-packed new original comedy is about overcoming your fears and opening yourself up to the world and its opportunities - it invites viewers to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation.
According to the studio, in the film, the Mallard family is in a bit of a rut. While dad Mack is content to keep his family safe paddling around their New England pond forever, mom Pam is eager to shake things up and show their kids—teen son Dax and duckling daughter Gwen—the whole wide world. After a migrating duck family alights on their pond with thrilling tales of far-flung places, Pam persuades Mack to embark on a family trip, via New York City, to tropical Jamaica.
As the Mallards make their way South for the winter, their well-laid plans quickly go awry. The experience will inspire them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends and accomplish more than they ever thought possible while teaching them more about each other—and themselves—than they ever imagined.
The film’s A-list cast is led by Oscar and Emmy nominee Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick, Eternals) as anxious Mallard dad Mack; Emmy nominee Elizabeth Banks (Hunger Games and Pitch Perfect franchises) as Pam, the Mallards’ daring, quick-witted matriarch; Caspar Jennings as Dax, the Mallards’ confident and restless son; and, in her feature film debut, Tresi Gazal as Gwen, the family’s innocent and lovable daughter.
Golden Globe winner Awkwafina (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) voices the scrappy leader of a New York City pigeon gang; Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Carol Kane (The Princess Bride) plays Erin the heron, the first friend that the Mallards make on their journey; Emmy winner Keegan-Michael Key (The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Lion King) voices a homesick Jamaican parrot locked away in a Manhattan restaurant; and BAFTA winner David Mitchell (Peep Show) plays the yogic leader of a mysterious duck farm. Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Danny DeVito (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) co-stars as Mack’s curmudgeonly, adventure-averse Uncle Dan.
Migration is directed the Oscar-nominated by Benjamin Renner (Ernest & Celestine, The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales) and produced by Meledandri; Guylo Homsy is co-director; Christian Gazal is editor, and Colin Stimpson does production design. The screenplay is written by Mike White (The White Lotus, School of Rock), the
Source: Illumination
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
