Swiss filmmaker Antonin Niclass brings imagination to life in “Into the Forest,” a stop-motion short which won Friday the Young Audience Award at the Annecy Animation Festival.

Produced by Milos-Films and shot at Hélium Films’ studios in Switzerland’s Lausanne, the short follows three handcrafted monkeys who transform a cold animation studio into a vibrant jungle through creativity, collaboration and resourcefulness. 

The production also features the puppet of Oshi, the baby orangutan from Claude Barras’ “Savages” (2024), through a collaboration with Nadasdy Film.

A graduate of the National Film and Television School in the U.K., Niclass has become a familiar name at Annecy following previous selections with “Do Not Feed the Pigeons” (2021) and “Coup de Théâtre” (2022).

With “Into the Forest,” he turns his attention to younger audiences while crafting a layered work that celebrates the artistry of stop-motion animation itself. Blending meticulous handcrafted animation with expressive sound design and an evolving electronic score, the film explores themes of belonging, creativity and the power of collaboration.

Variety spoke with Niclass ahead of the film’s premiere – and win – at Annecy.

“Into the Forest” begins with the subject breaking free of his animation rig. Can you discuss your work on that sequence?

The initial goal was to introduce stop motion animation concepts to children. Our monkey comes to life, animated by human hands, but then he breaks free of his chains and needs to find his own path. This is the moment a puppet stops being an object and becomes a character. In a way, as filmmakers, we lose control over the character we depict; it becomes an autonomous entity in people’s minds. Symbolically, this sets the theme immediately: creation is an act of emancipation.

On a technical level, it was a lot of fun for animator Timothée Crabbé to shape the movement and think about how to mix live action hands and a stop motion orangutang. It’s one of the rare films where the rig doesn’t get erased in post-production.

Music plays a key role in bringing the monkeys’ world to life. How did you approach the film’s musical identity?

Since the film has no dialogue, relying only on monkey cries to carry the narrative, music is a vital part of the journey. Together with sounds designer Loic Kreyden and composer Fabio Amurri, we crafted a score that begins with more mechanical, industrial rhythms reflecting the cold studio, then evolving into more melodic patterns and natural ambient sounds.

I wanted something playful that builds up as the film progresses, before revealing its full strength when their own magnificent, homemade jungle unveils itself. We tried many approaches with Fabio, initially aiming for a more traditional, jungle-focused adventure style with percussions. However, we realised our story wasn’t set in Borneo, but in a stop-motion studio in Lausanne… We therefore opted for a rather electronic approach using synthesisers to follow the emotional journey and discoveries of our little monkeys.

What is the message you hope viewers take away after watching the journey of the subjects of this film?

I hope the youngest viewers will enjoy discovering these little monkeys seeking to create a home. We didn’t want to simply make a behind-the-scenes of an animation film; rather, we aimed to firmly root the film’s educational aspect within a gripping story, where the characters find salvation through their imagination and a form of artistic creation as they build their own forest.

Beyond the technical aspects of filmmaking, the core message is one of resourcefulness. These monkeys, stuck in a cold studio, use their imagination and whatever is at hand to create their own jungle. It is rough and makeshift, but it’s theirs. I also hope the audience feels the joy of collective creation and teamwork. The three monkeys work together, combining their skills to achieve a common goal. And this benefits others as well.

What does it mean to you to premiere “Into the Forest” at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival?

Living in Switzerland, just around the corner from Annecy (with my grandmother born only 30 minutes away from here), it took me surprisingly long to grasp the festival’s true magnitude. The realisation really hit when I returned with the NFTS, my film school in the U.K. It felt like coming home, yet seen through entirely new eyes.

Since then, my journey here has continued: from my graduation film, “Do Not Feed The Pigeons,” to “Coup de Théâtre,” a commissioned project the following year. 

Crafting a film for young audiences was an unexpected challenge for me, and a very exciting one. Being selected for competition is a profound honour. It feels incredibly special to share this work with a global audience, talented peers as well as children, practically from my backyard.