Cannes Premiere: ANFFF 2025 Unveils 'Resonance of Nature' Through Multisensory Eco-Cinema

CANNES, France, May 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 21st at Marche du Film, Festival de Cannes, the Animal Nature Future Film Festival (ANFFF), presented by UK non-profit INB CIC, debuted its 2025 theme initiative: Resonance of Nature: Bond of Life. The program features six short films from the UK, US, and China, exploring intricate relationships between humans, animals, and ecosystems. Through narrative, ecological performance, and hybrid documentary, these works reflect the festival's commitment to cinematic storytelling as a catalyst for environmental awareness and cross-cultural dialogue.

The theme film of ANFFF 2025 has been specially commissioned by director Yangyang Shao, and features rising star actress Yulingqiao Zhang. Rooted in the five human senses and their intricate connection to nature and urban life, the film explores the emotional and sensory relationship between the body and its environment. Through Xiang Zhang's visually arresting work—seamlessly transitioning between black-and-white and color—the film combines montage editing and an evocative score by international composers Weichen Lin, William Qi, and Han Bao to create an immersive, multisensory journey back to nature.

The film's producer and ANFFF founder Kean Cao describes it as "a breathing visual poem". As the concept film for the new edition of the festival, she hopes it will resonate with audiences across cultures—inviting them to pause, step away from the noise of daily life, and rediscover the quiet, flowing energy of the natural world.

The program features five additional films spanning science, memory, and climate futures. Immaculate, created by BBC science researcher Ningjing Wang, follows a passionate scientist's quest to save the rare spotless tree frog—earning a BAFTA Student Award nomination and Best Young Filmmaker at ANFFF 2024. A Letter from a Rose documents 200 years of botanical history, born from director Long Jing's five-year collaboration with nature in Shanghai. Zhikun Zhang's Spring Once More portrays a father's inner awakening during his wife's second childbirth. NURA, a WeShort Original, tells the story of a woman navigating survival in a climate-collapsed world. Antigone (Modern) by Uriah Jiang & Sino-US directors, reimagines the Greek tragedy with Stella Adler youth, challenging human hubris against nature.

Following the screening, audience members shared reflections. Viewer Paolo praised the films' cross-cultural insights. Georgia aligned with ANFFF's mission, and was moved by the real-world ecological impact these films represent — raising awareness and protecting endangered species. She hopes to bring these stories to audiences in her own country.

WeShort CEO Alex Loprieno signed a long-term screening and distribution partnership with ANFFF during the event, solidifying their shared mission to advance ecological cinema globally. Through this collaboration, they will support the market growth and international circulation of environmentally focused films, empowering filmmakers to engage with pressing ecological narratives.

Building on this vision, ANFFF invites curators worldwide to its platform, leveraging localized screenings and community engagement to amplify ecological and animal protection—story by story, region by region.

Official Website: www.anfff.org

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Animal Nature Future Film Festival