Co-directors Yanis Belaid and Jeremie Degruson share details about their seamless collaboration, producer Matthieu Zeller praises inspired cutting-edge CG animation with a unique European approach
For the third year in a row, the nWave team boarded the Eurostar from Brussels to its now well-established annual Annecy Animation Festival journey. And this year, they’re bringing man’s best friend.
Opening the non-competitive section Annecy Presents, the latest nWave title “Yugly” makes its world premiere today at the Bonlieu, the festival’s main venue.
NWave’s twelth feature, “Yugly” is a heartwarming dog comedy following the ugliest mutt in the world, who dreams of achieving the impossible: competing in the prestigious Best in Dog Show. As Yugly sets off on his journey, he’ll meet fellow canines and quirky humans along the way, with the secret hope of ultimately finding his very own family.
Co-directed by Jérémie Degruson (“Bigfoot Family,” “The Inseparables”) and Yanis Belaid (“Les larmes de la Seine”) and written by “Stuart Little” scribe Greg Brooker, the CG animated feature is a Belgian-French co-production between nWave and Octopolis, produced by Matthieu Zeller.
“Matching those two directors from different generations (Jérémie, a nWave veteran and Yanis, an upcoming young filmmaker) was a bet for the studio,” recalls Zeller, “a bet that paid off handsomely. This film is the perfect illustration of what nWave has been aiming at for a long time: cutting-edge CG animation matching the standards of the global industry, along with a unique European way of telling stories with depth and heart, and bringing them on the big screen. ‘Yugly’ blends both, and I’m truly happy we manage to achieve this as a European studio.”
Degruson and Belaid feel the same way, as they discovered their common references (and love for dogs) over the three-year journey that has been this seamless, benevolent production. “We had a shared language right from the start,” underlines Degruson. “Not only could we use our pets as references, but we also had similar experiences and a common denominator. Which will, in turn, allow the film to connect with audiences as well.”
That includes audiences throughout Europe, as nWave, which handles its own international sales, revealed a wave of distribution deals across Europe, West Asia and Africa. Beyond early partners in France (SND) and Benelux (Independent Films), territories include Spain (ACF), Scandinavia (Scanbox), the Baltics (Ad Astra), and many more European markets, with French and English-speaking African territories split between Les Films 26 and Pathé.
Rights are currently available for the U.K., Germany, Italy, North and Latin America along with Australia/New Zealand and Asian territories excluding Vietnam and Mongolia.
Zeller, Degruson and Belaid all praise the works of their dedicated teams. With 150 people working on the film and a budget of €25 million ($28.7 million), nWave Studios reached new heights with “Yugly” while still keeping their core values in mind: bringing entertaining, heartlfelt CG animated stories to global audiences. “From the start, we’ve been involved in the writing process and have helped shape the characters both narratively and visually,” adds Belaid. “And it allowed us to hone our dialogs and make every single dog unique. Film-wise, we also had the opportunity to expand on our staging, pushing for more cinema and less talkative characters. In the past, nWave films tended to be all about snappy dialogs and babbling protagonists. With ‘Yugly’, we went for a ‘show don’t tell’ approach, and it helped us to bring this film to another level.”
Blending Degruson’s experience with Belaid’s live-action, indie references, the duo crafted a family-friendly adventure with memorable characters, lush backgrounds and thrilling chase scenes, going from one setting to another in this bigger-than-life odyssey. Providing decisive help was another duo: CG and backgrounds supervisor Christopher Grao and character design/storyboard artist Kevin Hermans.
“I think there was a lot of mutual respect between both duos,” underlines Belaid. “We had our ideas, which we discussed, and they brought their own as well in the mix. It all comes down to understanding the challenges we each face, and what is doable and what’s more complicated. But we firmly believe that in animation, allowing people to propose ideas and remaining open to them is the best way forward.”
“There’s more in four heads than two,” continues Degruson. “Creative input at the right time is always welcome, and in some cases it even allowed us to fine tune our writing and adapt.”
Bringing “Yugly” to this class-A animation festival feels just right for both directors, who are deeply thankful to the festival team. Marcel Jean, Annecy’s artistic director, praised “Yugly” earlier this year for its heartfelt story and relatable characters.
“It feels great to be back in Annecy,” says Degruson, who presented “The Inseparables” at the Bonlieu three years ago. “We had other films in the program in the past few years, but being able to present this film that is dear to us as the opening film of Annecy Presents is truly a special honor. To me, animation is all about sharing values with both young audiences and adults alike. With ‘Yugly,’ we bring this benevolence and acceptance forward. If our film can provide happiness to children, and even people in general, I’ll be a happy director.”
