Salma Hayek's 'The Prophet' to headline Annecy International Animation Festival
This year's International Animation Festival in Annecy, France will open with a film co-produced by Lebanese-Mexican actress Salma Hayek, "The Prophet."
The film is based on the perennial 1923 classic by Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran, which has been read by over 120 million people worldwide.
Hayek, who took on the role as producer, said it was a challenge to create its first-ever adaptation and she turned to nine animation directors to help give life to Gibran's work including Tomm Moore, Michal Socha, Joan Gratz, Nina Paley, Bill Plympton, Joann Sfar, Mohammed Harib and Paul and Gaëtan Brizzi.
Roger Allers ('The Lion King") directed the film and Bjarne Hansen was in charge of art direction.
Made up of 26 prose poems, "The Prophet" tells the encounter of a little girl and a political prisoner who shares his views on life and the human condition.
"The Prophet" will premiere on June 15 during the opening of The Annecy Animation Festival, which runs from June 15-20 in southeastern France.
