Heading this year’s Nordic animation slate is Karla Nor Holmbäck’s Rosa and the Stone Troll, competing in the Contrechamps section for more innovative features.

The 2D feature film produced by Marie Bro (Rita & Crocodile) with support notably from Nordisk Film & TV Fond is based on the beloved characters from the Rosa children’s book series by Josefine Ottesen.

“As a child, my dad read aloud from the “Rosa” books, and the amazing universe has followed me ever since,” said the director, who describes Rosa and the Stone Troll “as a tale about “friendship for better or worse, about daring to throw yourself into the uncertain, being brave and follow your dreams.”

The film was released in Denmark by Scandinavian Film Distribution last February. LevelK handles sales.

Also screening in Annecy this week are the major Nordic feature Titina from Norway and German/Belgian/Norwegian co-production Richard the Stork 2-aka Richard the Stork and the Mystery of the Great Jewel. Both films were released earlier in France (via Les Films du losange for Titina and Paradis Films for Richard the Stork) and weren’t therefore eligible for competition, but are programmed as open-air-screenings.

Following the dramatic knife-attack last Thursday at an open-air playground in a which six people -including four kids - were injured, festival organisers postponed by a day the open air screenings, but Titina and Richard the Stork 2 were not affected by the rescheduling.

This year’s Nordic animation slate in Annecy contains a wealth of Danish, Finnish, and Norwegian shorts split across four sections.

The talent-berth ‘Graduation Films’ competition hosts Denmark’s 3D short Mano by Toke Ringmann Madsen from the Animation Workshop, and Norway’s 2D/live action The Harbour Master (Havnesjefen) by Mia L. Henriksen and Konrad Hjemli, from the Volda University College.

The Official Short Film Competition is showcasing Finland’s 2D Nun or Never by Heta Jäälinoja and Sweet Like Lemons by Jenny Jokela, using drawing on paper.

The ‘Off-Limits Short Film’ competition is screening the Norwegian/Dutch film Is Heaven Blue? #2 co-directed by Menno de Nooijer and Paul de Nooijer, and Finland’s The Transient by Pink Twins, while the VR competition is platforming the Danish work Shadow co-created by David Adler and seasoned director Ole Bornedal. The 14-minute VR experience is a companion piece to Bornedal’s Netflix WW2 movie The Bombardment (also known as The Shadow in My Eye).

Sweden is represented by the co-produced puppetry work Saleeg by Saudi Arabia’s female filmmaking talent Afnan Bawyan.

The Nordic animated films and 40+ production companies attending the festival and parallel MIA market are regrouped in Annecy under the Nordic Animation umbrella.

The animation promotional organisation backed by Nordisk Film & TV Fond is hosting a French-Nordic speed-date on Wednesday and a CEE-Nordic networking session on Thursday.

This year’s Annecy Film Festival held under the Pride & Diversity theme and Mexican animation is offering 50 events such as masterclasses from Walt Disney’s legendary Erik Goldberg (Aladdin, Hercules), directors Jan Kounen, Guillermo del Toro and Barry PC Purves. The festival closes on Saturday with the awards ceremony.