Into the Forest": Antonin Niclass' Award-Winning Stop-Motion Short Celebrates Creativity and Collaboration
Swiss filmmaker Antonin Niclass won the Young Audience Award at the Annecy Animation Festival for his stop-motion short film "Into the Forest." The film, produced by Milos-Films and shot at Hélium Films’ studios in Lausanne, follows three handcrafted monkeys who transform an animation studio into a vibrant jungle through creativity and collaboration. The production also features the puppet of Oshi, the baby orangutan from Claude Barras’ “Savages” (2024), through a collaboration with Nadasdy Film. Niclass, a graduate of the National Film and Television School in the U.K., is known for his previous works at Annecy and now turns his attention to younger audiences with "Into the Forest," celebrating the artistry of stop-motion animation.
The film explores themes of belonging, creativity, and collaboration through meticulous handcrafted animation, expressive sound design, and an evolving electronic score. Niclass discusses the sequence where the monkey breaks free from its animation rig, symbolizing the character's emancipation and the loss of control for filmmakers. The technical challenge of blending live action hands with a stop-motion orangutan added a layer of complexity to the scene. Music plays a crucial role in the film, with a score that evolves from mechanical rhythms to melodic patterns, reflecting the monkeys' journey from a cold studio to their vibrant jungle.
Niclass hopes viewers, especially children, will enjoy the story of the monkeys creating their own home through imagination and artistic creation. The film's message of resourcefulness and teamwork is highlighted as the monkeys work together to achieve a common goal. Premiering "Into the Forest" at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival holds special significance for Niclass, as it allows him to share his work with a global audience, including talented peers and children, from his local community in Switzerland. The festival has been a significant part of his filmmaking journey, from his graduation film to his latest project for young audiences, making the selection for competition a profound honor.