There are films we watch simply to be entertained—films that occupy us for two hours and gradually fade from memory once the credits roll. Then there are films that remain with us for years, not because of their narrative complexity or visual grandeur, but because they awaken a question within us that we had long forgotten to ask. Pixar’s Soul was such an experience for me. Over the course of my life as a film critic, I have watched hundreds of films from different countries and artistic traditions, from the masterpieces of Italian neorealism to the poetic works of Iranian…
Author: Nellie Tehrani-Ryce
Nellie Tehrani-Ryce
Nellie Tehrani-Ryce is an editor, festival reporter, and animation industry executive with more than two decades of experience in film and animation. As Associate Editor of Cinema Without Borders, she has covered major international film festivals, conducted interviews with filmmakers and animation artists, and contributed to the publication's editorial development. She also serves as the Programming Director of International Animation Day in Los Angeles, helping curate programs that celebrate global animation and emerging talent. Her distinguished career includes leadership positions at Paramount Animation, Psyop, Technicolor, and Animation Magazine, where she championed creative excellence and talent development within the animation industry.
For six decades, the Annecy International Animation Film Festival has been the beating heart of the global animation community. Every June, artists, producers, students and critics from around the world gather in the picturesque French town of Annecy to celebrate the boundless possibilities of animated storytelling. In 2020, however, the festival faced its greatest challenge. As the COVID-19 pandemic brought international travel to a standstill and forced the cancellation of major cultural events worldwide, Annecy’s organizers made a bold decision. Rather than surrendering to circumstances, they transformed the entire festival into an unprecedented online experience. What emerged was not…