Gael García Bernal is celebrating animantion…

The Animation is Film Festival has announced its full slate of films for their upcoming event, with a sneak peek of the 38-year-old Mexican actor’s upcoming film Coco scheduled for the week.

The sneak peek of Coco will take place at 11:00 am on Sunday, October 22nd

The story follows a 12-year-old boy named Miguel (voiced by Anthony Gonzalez) who sets off a chain of events relating to a century-old mystery, leading to an extraordinary family reunion.  Garcia Bernal voices the character of Hector, a charming trickster in the Land of the Dead who must enlist Miguel’s help to visit the Land of the Living.

The fest will feature 12 films in competition and will include director Q&As, special events, short film programs, and a VR lounge.

Animation is Film aims to fill a gap in the market by establishing the world-class animation festival in the country, with its home in the world capital of filmmaking.  The festival embraces the highest aspirations of animation as a cinematic art form on par with live action filmmaking and will be vocal advocate for filmmakers who push the boundaries of their work to the fullest range of expression that the medium is capable of.

Films set to screen premieres include The Breadwinner, Mary and the Witch’s Flower, Big Fish and Begonia, as well as special screenings of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pixar’s The Incredibles.

Here’s the full slate of programming below.

AIF 2017 FILMS IN COMPETITION

The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales
 US Premiere
Saturday, October 21st at 1:30PM
Followed by Q&A with directors Patrick Imbert and Benjamin Renner, Patrick Imbert, Benjamin Renner, France, 2017
Recommended for ages 8+

Big Fish and Begonia
World Premiere – English Language Version
Sunday, October 22nd at 11:00AM Liang Xua, Zhang Chun, China, 2016
Recommended for ages 8+ 

Birdboy: The Forgotten Children
 West Coast Premiere
Saturday, October 21st at 4:15PM
Followed by Q&A with directors Alberto Vázquez and Pedro Rivero
Alberto Vázquez, Pedro Rivero, Spain, 2015
Recommended for ages 14+

The Breadwinner
 US Premiere – Opening Night Film
Friday, October 20th at 7:00PM
Followed by Q&A with director Nora Twomeyd. Nora Twomey, Ireland/Canada/Luxembourg, 2017
Recommended for ages 11+

Fireworks, Should We See it From the Side or the Bottom
 North American Premiere – Opening Night Film
Friday, October 20th at 9:30PM
Noboyuki Takeuchi, Akiyuki Shinbo, Japan, 2017
Recommended for ages 8+ 

Lu Over the Wall 
US Premiere
Sunday, October 22nd at 2:15PM
Masaaki Yuasa, Japan, 2017
Recommended for ages 8+

Mary and the Witch’s Flower
 North American Premiere – English Language Version
Sunday, October 22nd at 5:15PM
Followed by Q&A with director Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Japan, 2017
Recommended for ages 6+

Mutafukaz
West Coast Premiere
Saturday, October 21st at 7:00PM
Guillaume Renard and Shoujirou Nishimi, France/Japan, 2017
Recommended for ages 17+ 

Night is Short, Walk on Girl
 US Premiere
Sunday, October 22nd at 8:00PM
Masaaki Yuasa, Japan, 2017
Recommended for ages 14+ 

Tehran Taboo
 North American Premiere
Sunday, October 22nd at 5:15PM
Followed by Q&A with director Ali Soozandeh
Ali Soozandeh, Germany, 2017
Recommended for ages 17+ 

Tropical Virus
 World Premiere
Saturday, October 21st at 7:00PM
Followed by Q&A with director Santiago Caicedo
Santiago Caicedo, Colombia, 2017
Recommended for ages 14+

Zombillenium
 North American Premiere
Saturday, October 21st at 4:15PM
Followed by Q&A with director Alexis Ducord
Arthur de Pins & Alexis Ducord, France, 2017
Recommended for ages 8+ 

AIF SPECIAL SCREENINGS AND EVENTS

OUTLANDISH LANDS: SURREAL STUDIO SHORTS FROM THE 1930s
Saturday, October 21st at 11:00AM
Various Directors, USA, 75 min
Recommended for ages 8+ 

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 80th Anniversary Screening
Saturday, October 21st at 11:00AM
David Hand, USA, 1937
Recommended for ages 5+ 

Mind Game
Saturday, October 21st at 9:30PM
Masaaki Yuasa, Japan, 2004
Recommended for ages 17+

Disney Pixar’s The Incredibles plus a sneak peek of the upcoming Coco
Sunday, October 22nd at 11:00AM
Followed by Q&A with Producer John Walker
Brad Bird, USA, 2004
Recommended for ages 5+ 

The Lego Batman Movie
Sunday, October 22nd at 2:15PM
Followed by Q&A with Filmmakers
Chris McKay, USA, 2017
Recommended for ages 5+ 

VR FLICKER LOUNGE

Saturday & Sunday, October 21st & 22nd from 12:00pm to 7:00pm

Various titles including the LA premieres of the latest Google Spotlights Stories, Jorge Gutierrez’s Son of Jaguar and Scot Stafford and Chromosphere’s Sonaria
Programmed and presented by Animation is Film and Google Spotlight Stories
Recommended for all ages