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Brazen

A 30x3'30'' animated series directed by Phuong Mai Nguyen & Charlotte Cambon de Lavalette, based on the graphic novel by Pénélope Bagieu

Synopsis

The series features portraits of 30 women, some well-known and others less so, who wrote their own destinies, Brazen ladies who were out to tear down prejudice : Apache warrior, Hollywood star, lighthouse keeper, astronaut, empress, pioneers and queens, doctors and athletes, and many others through animated short episodes. Anonymous or well-known, each revolutionary in their own way, these women, wrote their own destinies, changed the world and tore down prejudice.
"Brazen" is the animated adaptation of Pénélope Bagieu’s best-selling graphic novel "Culottées", translated in 17 languages and published in more than 22 countries, Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material in 2019.

Broadcast

Streaming on France.tv & broadcast on France 5

Partners

France Télévisions
MIAM! distribution
CNC (CVS)
Département de la Charente
Région Nouvelle Aquitaine
With the support of the Creative Europe Programme - MEDIA
Procirep-Angoa
Cinecap 2
Cofinova 15
A Plus Développement 8
Women In Motion - Programme de KERING qui met en lumière la place des femmes dans les arts et la culture

Sold in Italy (RAI), Switzerland (RTS), Finland (YLE), Portugal (RTP)

Awards

« Prix Francophone » at ROCKIE AWARDS - BANFF WORLD MEDIA FESTIVAL 2021 (Canada)
« Animation 11-17 Award » at ROCKIE AWARDS - BANFF WORLD MEDIA FESTIVAL 2021 (Canada)
« Award of Merit » at BEST SHORTS COMPETITION 2020 (USA)
« Best Animation for children » at LOS ANGELES ANIMATION FESTIVAL 2020 : episode Mae Jemison
« Special Jury Prize » at AWARENESS FESTIVAL 2020 (USA) : episode Mae Jemison
« Special Distinction Prize BIAF 2019 » at BUCHEON INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL 2019 (South Korea) : episode Annette Kellerman

Technical film summary

Directed by : Phuong Mai Nguyen & Charlotte Cambon de Lavalette

Written by: Emilie Valentin & Elise Benroubi
Storyboard artists: Phuong Mai Nguyen & Charlotte Cambon de Lavalette
Character design: Sarah Saidan
Original soundtrack: Fred Avril
Format: 30x3min 30sec
Techniques used: 2D animation
Executive producer: Silex Films
Producers: Priscilla Bertin & Judith Nora (Silex Films) - Arnaud Colinart
Animation studio: Silex Animation
Line producer: Philippine Gelberger
Adapted from: "Culottées, Des Femmes qui ne ont que ce qu'elles veulent", by Pénélope Bagieu (published by Editions Gallimard in 2016-2017)
Series' French title: "Culottées"
International sales: MIAM! distribution
DVD: Citel

THE 30 EPISODES :

ANNETTE KELLERMAN (1886-1975) - Mermaid, Australia
JOSEPHINE BAKER (1906-1975) - Dancer, French resistance fighter, USA
WU ZETIAN (624-705) - Empress, China
LEYMAH GBOWEE (1972-…) - Social worker, Liberia
NELLIE BLY (1864-1922) - Reporter, USA
TEMPLE GRANDIN (1947-…) - Animal whisperer, USA
NAZIQ AL-ABID (1898-1959) - Activist aristocrat, Syria
TOVE JANSSON (1914-2001) - Painter / Moomins’ mommy, Finland
MARGARET HAMILTON (1902-1985) - Terrifying actress, USA
GIORGINA REID (1908-2001) - Lighthouse keeper, Italy / USA
THE SHAGGS (1948-… / 1949-… / 1951-2006) - Rockstars, USA
MAE JEMISON (1956-…) - Astronaut, USA
PEGGY GUGGENHEIM (1898-1979) - Lover of Modern Art, USA
SONITA ALIZADEH (1996-…) - Rapper, Iran/Afghanistan
DELIA AKELEY (1875-1970) - Explorer, USA
PHULAN DEVI (1963-2001) - Queen of Bandits, India
JESSELYN RADACK (1970-…) - Lawyer, USA
CHRISTINE JORGENSEN (1926-1989) - Reluctant Celebrity, USA
THÉRÈSE CLERC (1927-2016) - Utopian realist, France
AGNODICE (350 B.C.) - Gynecologist, Greece
LOZEN (1840-1889) - Warrior and Shaman , USA
FRANCES GLESSNER LEE (1878-1962) - Crime miniaturist, USA
CLÉMENTINE DELAIT (1865-1939) - Bearded lady, France
HEDY LAMARR (1914-2000) - Actress and Inventor, Austria / USA
LAS MARIPOSAS (1924/26/35-1960) - Rebel sisters, Dominican Republic
JOSEPHINA VAN GORKUM (1820-1888) - Obstinate lover, The Netherlands
CHERYL BRIDGES (1947-…) - Athlete, USA
KATIA KRAFFT (1942-1991) - Volcanologist, France
BETTY DAVIS (1945-…) - Singer-songwriter, USA
NZINGA (1583-1663) - Queen of Ndongo, Angola

Casting

Cécile DE FRANCE (all voices)

Festival selections

ROCKIE AWARDS - BANFF WORLD MEDIA FESTIVAL (June 2021, Canada) : episode in "Animation: Youth" competition
ACADEMIA FILM OLOMOUC (April 2021, Czech Republic) : episode Katia Krafft in competition
FESTIVAL NATIONAL DU FILM D’ANIMATION DE RENNES (April 2021, France) : episode Mae Jemison in competition
BEESTON FESTIVAL (March 2021, UK) : episode Mae Jemison in competition
FESTIVAL NATIONAL DU FILM D'ANIMATION (2021, France) : episode Mae Jemison in competition
CALIFORNIA WOMEN’S FILM FESTIVAL (2021, USA) : episode Mae Jemison in « Animation » competition
PALM SPRINGS INT. ANIMATION FESTIVAL (December 2020, USA) : episode Mae Jemison in « Animated Documentaries » competition
JAPAN PRIZE (November 2020, Japan) : episode Mae Jemison in « Youth division (12 – 18) » competition
MANCHESTER ANIMATION FESTIVAL (November 2020, UK) : episode Mae Jemison
FESTIVAL EUROPEEN DU FILM COURT DE BREST (November 2020, France) : episodes Mae Jemison & Cheryl Bridges screenings for Young public
LA FEMME INT. FILM FESTIVAL (October 2020, USA) : episode Mae Jemison
PARISCIENCE – FESTIVAL INT. DU FILM SCIENTIFIQUE (October 2020, Paris, France) : episode Hedy Lamarr in the short film selection « Women and science » theme
LADY FILMMAKERS FESTIVAL (September 2020, USA) : episode Mae Jemison in short films competition
ANIMASYROS INT. ANIMATION FESTIVAL (September 2020, Greece) : episode Mae Jemison in « TV & Commissioned » category
OFF COURTS TROUVILLE (September 2020, France) : episode Leymah Gbowee in "Politik" program
ANNECY INT. ANIMATED FILM FESTIVAL (June 2020, France) : episode Leymah Gbowee in official competition
ANIMAC (March 2020, Spain) : episode Mae Jemison
FESTIVAL INT. DE CINEMA D'ANIMATION, FICAM MEKNES (2020, Morocco) – Cancelled : episode Mae Jemison
TRICKY WOMEN FESTIVAL (March 2020, Austria) : episodes Frances Glessner Lee, Annette Kellerman, Hedy Lamarr
ANIBAR (July 2021, Kosovo) : out of competition
MARPISSA FESTIVAL (August 2021, Greece) : out of competition (Best of Animasyros 2020)
ANIMATION VOLDA (September 2021, Norway) : in official competition
ANIMA CORDOBA (October 2021, Argentina) : in official competition
ANIMAGE (Octobre 2021, Brazil) : in official competition
ANIMEST (Octobre 2021, Romania) : out of competition
HER DOCS FESTIVAL (October 2021, Poland) : out of competition
INSCIENCE (November 2021, The Netherlands) : out of competition
MANCHESTER ANIMATION FESTIVAL (November 2021, UK) : out of competition (Best of 2020 edition)

WIP & PRESENTATIONS :
Festival National du Film d'animation Rennes (France, October 2020)
Annecy International Animated Film Festival (France, June 2020)
Presentation at Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (Germany, May 2020)
Masterclass at Animation First Festival - FIAF (New York City, February 2020)
World Premiere at Angoulême International Comics Festival (France, January 2020)
Masterclass 'Tout'Anim' at Forum des Images Paris (France, October 2019)
WIP at Annecy International Animated Film Festival (France, June 2019)
WIP at Angoulême International Comics Festival (France, January 2019)
NY IFP Film Week (USA, October 2017)
Cartoon Forum (France, September 2017)

Press review

« Une adaptation particulièrement réussie du best-seller. » Sandrine Bajos, LE PARISIEN « Chaque pastille est une petite pépite. » Eva Roque, EUROPE 1 « Une véritable réussite, pleine de charme ludique. » TÉLÉRAMA « Des petites pastilles très fidèles à l’esprit de l’œuvre de Pénélope Bagieu : impertinentes et fédératrices. » Caroline Besse, TÉLÉRAMA « On retrouve le style graphique et l’humour de Bagieu servis par Cécile de France, qui conte à merveille ces parcours de vie, incarnant aussi bien la narratrice que le rôle de chaque personnage. Une série d’utilité publique, de 7 à 77ans! » R.N., LE JOURNAL DU DIMANCHE « Alliant efficacité et minimalisme, la mise en scène va droit au but et parvient à restituer la puissance d’évocation des ellipses, propres à la bande dessinée, par une idée de cinéma d’animation. » Stéphane Dreyfus, LA CROIX « Vif, plein d’esprit et d’humour. » OUEST FRANCE DIMANCHE « C’est drôle, inventif, coloré, très court, mais plein d’informations et d’histoires formidables. » Caroline Constant & Lucas Portelles, L’HUMANITÉ DIMANCHE « La série (…) a été écrite en deux ans et fabriquée en une seule année – un record! – dans des studios à Angoulême par des équipes jeunes à 70% féminines. » LES ÉCHOS WEEK-END « Une adaptation réussie de la BD de Pénélope Bagieu. Graphisme épuré et lignes claires au service d’un propos fort. » N.J., TÉLÉ CABLE SATELLITE

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