# Netflix’s Animated Drama ‘In Waves’ Opens the American French Film Festival, TV Competition Set

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/netflixs-animated-drama-in-waves-opens-the-american-french-film-festival-tv-competition-set/
- Published: 2026-09-24T16:05:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-24T16:18:08+00:00
- Original publisher: Variety
- Original article: https://variety.com/2026/film/news/netflix-in-waves-american-french-film-festival-1236873826/
- Topics: Entertainment, Film, TV

## Key points

- “In Waves” will open the American French Film Festival’s 30th edition.
- Netflix is distributing the French-produced animated feature in the US.
- Twelve television series will compete for festival awards.

## Summary

Netflix’s animated feature “In Waves”, directed by Phuong Mai Nguyen, will open the American French Film Festival on 3 November, marking the event’s 30th anniversary. The film, which premiered at Cannes as the first animated opener of Critics’ Week, is significant for tracing an American story through French production and animation before returning to US audiences through Netflix.

Adapted from AJ Dungo’s autobiographical graphic novel, the film follows a teenage boy whose surfing mentor and love interest dies from cancer; its English-language cast includes Will Sharpe and Stephanie Hsu. The festival will run from 3 to 8 November in West Hollywood, with its full film line-up due on 6 October, while 12 French television series have been selected for the Audience and Jury Awards.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.