The Annecy International Animation Film Festival kicked off on Sunday evening with the world premiere of Illumination’s Minions & Monsters and a surprise appearance by Guillermo Del Toro in the audience.
The third installment in the Despicable Me spin‑off follows the Minions as they travel to Hollywood’s Golden Age. New characters include James, an artistic Minion who dreams of directing; his comedic sidekick Henry; and their mute companion Ed.
The plot recalls the Minions’ relentless search for an evil boss, which leads them to California where they latch onto a gun‑toting bandit, mistaking him for a villain. Unaware that he is an actor, they inadvertently crash a film shoot.
While the director struggles, the producers spot the footage and sign the Minions on the spot. Their fame is short‑lived, however, as the advent of talkies arrives. James devises a comeback film, summoning a real monster for a key role, unknowingly unleashing a malevolent force that threatens Los Angeles and the world.
The high‑energy adventure also serves as a love letter to cinema, featuring cameo appearances by George Lucas as a live exhibit in a Hollywood history museum, Harold Lloyd, and others.
Sunday’s screening marked a homecoming for Illumination founder Christopher Meledandri and director Pierre Coffin, who first introduced the Minions at Annecy in 2014 with the world premiere of Despicable Me.
“Setting a Minions story in 1920s Hollywood may seem unlikely, but it perfectly honors cinema and the silent‑film clowns—Keaton, Lloyd, Chaplin—who inspired the Minions. It also provides a fitting backdrop for a Minion who loves to draw and dream of filmmaking,” Meledandri said.
He added that there is no better place to world‑premiere Minions & Monsters than Annecy.
“Annecy not only celebrates animation, it also highlights Illumination’s artistry. I’m thrilled to share this film, which reflects the care of hundreds of artists working at Illumination Studios in Paris,” he continued.
Before the screening, Meledandri and Coffin received plaques for the festival’s Wall of Fame, newly installed at Annecy’s animation center—a hub housed in the restored 19th‑century national stables, opened on the eve of the festival.
Annecy Mayor Antoine Armand told the opening ceremony that the animation hub demonstrates the city’s commitment to culture, especially at a time when it faces attacks.
“We believe in culture, and we will increase funding to protect it. When culture is threatened worldwide, we must defend it. Here in Annecy, we protect both local and global culture,” he said to applause.
In this spirit, Armand also paid tribute to Iranian‑French artist, animator, and Oscar‑nominated director Marjane Satrapi, who passed away on June 6 at age 56.
“Let us remember Marjane Satrapi, who embodied freedom. Many of you recall her book *Woman, Life, Freedom* and her film Persepolis*, which turned her personal story into a universal fable,” Armand said.
“She reminds us that freedom is never guaranteed. We need animation, and we need you here in Annecy.”