Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri was brought to the Annecy International Film Festival on Wednesday morning with a “Golden Ticket” lifetime recognition to a surprise session featuring Grammy-winning musician and Louis Vuitton designer Pharrell Williams.
Williams presented the honor to Meledandri, who was attending Annecy with filmmaker Benjamin Renner to unveil footage from Illumination’s new feature film. migration, which hits theaters on December 22 and stars Oscar nominees Kumail Nanjani and Elizabeth Banks. The picture was written by Emmy-winner Mike White.
Williams has been a frequent collaborator with Meledandri Illumination and earned his first Oscar nomination on behalf of the company for his song Happy. despicable Me sequel. Melidandri has a long history in Annecy, with several films included in the festival. despicable MeAnd the secret life of pets,
“The collaboration between Illumination and Annecy has been a decisive factor in the recent development of the festival,” said Marcel Jean, artistic director of Annecy. “The trust Chris Meledandri has put in us, especially during the launch of various films despicable Me The franchise has been a tremendous boost to our growth. The awarding of the golden ticket to Chris Meledandri is a symbol of how important this bond is to Annecy.
Mickaël Marin, CEO of CITIA, said: “Chris Meledandri has been instrumental in changing the way feature films are produced. By choosing to produce in Europe, and specifically in France, they have integrated the best of the two continents. It is this visionary ethos that we want to celebrate.
Annecy presented its first Golden Ticket to DreamWorks Animation co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg in 2016. Other past winners include Mark Bonney of Gabeka Films.