Netflix's In Waves to open 30th American French Film Festival
Netflix's animated feature In Waves will open the American French Film Festival on Nov. 3.
Directed by Phuong Mai Nguyen, the film will launch the festival's 30th anniversary edition. The festival runs Nov. 3-8 at the DGA complex in West Hollywood, Variety reported on Sept. 24.
The opening-night screening is presented in association with Netflix. Netflix is also the U.S. distributor of the film.
In Waves arrived with festival history already behind it. It debuted at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year as the first animated feature to open Critics' Week, a Cannes sidebar devoted to first and second films from emerging directors.
The film is adapted from AJ Dungo's graphic novel. Fanny Burdino and Samuel Doux are credited as writers.
It is a love story in animation. Netflix describes it as an animated love story about a skateboarder and a surfer navigating young love, Tudum reported. In the story, AJ is a shy teenager who meets Kristen in Los Angeles. She lives for surfing. He loves skateboarding and drawing.
The English-language voice cast includes Will Sharpe and Stephanie Hsu. The film is listed at 95 minutes and as a 2026 release.
For fans, this means a first chance to see it on a big screen in Los Angeles before it reaches a wider audience. The full festival lineup will be announced on Oct. 6.
Television is part of the programme too. Twelve series will compete for the TAFFF Audience Award and Jury Award. The Series Competition screenings will run Nov. 4-8 at the DGA theatres in Hollywood, with 2 International Premieres and 6 North American Premieres, according to the festival. The competition is a free programme shown in English or with English subtitles.
The festival is presented by the Franco-American Cultural Fund. Passes are now on sale, the festival site said. A $50 Week Pass covers unlimited screenings except the Nov. 3 Opening Night Gala. A $250 Deluxe Pass includes the gala.
Passholders can reserve one ticket per screening from Oct. 8, subject to availability. Individual tickets and Day Passes also go on sale on Oct. 8. Members of the DGA, WGA and SAG-AFTRA are invited to attend without buying a pass.
