Japanese animation studio dwarf studios has announced that the pilot film for its stop-motion samurai project, HIDARI, will be featured at the Annecy Animation Showcase during the 79th Cannes International Film Festival. The showcase, part of an expanded "Cannes Animation" initiative, highlights five works-in-progress from around the globe.
The HIDARI pilot is scheduled to screen on May 17, followed by a presentation from director Masashi Kawamura and producer Noriko Matsumoto. They will provide updates on the development of the feature-length adaptation, which is planned to run 90 minutes. The HIDARI pilot, first released online in 2023, has already achieved over 4.9 million views on YouTube and secured several international film festival awards. The film's narrative follows Jingoro, a carpenter seeking revenge after losing his arm and father, who adopts the moniker "Hidari" as he battles mechanical soldiers and confronts the Tokugawa Shogunate.
The HIDARI feature film project has been supported by a Kickstarter campaign, raising over 15 million yen, and has received financial backing from Questry. Production is estimated to take approximately four years post-greenlight, with a targeted completion year of 2029. Variety has reported the film will be produced in English. Masashi Kawamura is directing and writing the screenplay, with Iku Ogawa co-directing and designing characters alongside Takeshi Yashiro. The production involves collaborations with TECARAT for puppet creation and Kawamura's Whatever Co. for various creative aspects.
Also selected for the Annecy Animation Showcase is director Takayuki Hirao's anime film project, tentatively codenamed Wasted Chef. This film reunites staff from the anime film Pompo: The Cinéphile, including character designer Shingo Adachi and composer Kenta Matsukuma. Variety indicates Wasted Chef is slated for completion in 2027 and follows a young chef on a quest for a lost flavor in a ruined city.
Source: Anime News Network(https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2026-04-20/cannes-annecy-animation-showcase-to-feature-dwarf-studios-hidari-stop-motion-samurai-film-takayuki-/.236582)
