“The Day I Licked a Pebble” wins an award at the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival

 

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“The Day I Licked a Pebble”: a student film continuing its journey through festivals

Created as a graduation film, “The Day I Licked a Pebble” tells the story of a summer afternoon in the countryside. Pablo, Aïda and Noam, three siblings bored at their grandmother’s house, decide to walk to the bakery to buy an afternoon snack. This ordinary outing soon turns into a small adventure filled with games, mischief and imagination.

The short film draws directly on the six directors’ childhood memories. Its distinctive visual approach is central to its identity: expressive, stylized characters evolve against more realistically rendered backgrounds. The story is also told through the camcorder operated by Pablo, the youngest of the siblings, allowing the audience to experience the adventure from a child’s perspective.

Since its completion, the student film has enjoyed a remarkable festival journey. Before the FFA, it was notably selected for the Official Selection of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in 2026. It also won the “Best International Student Short Film” award at the 2025 Icona Animation Festival and received a Special Jury Mention at the Cinetica Festival.

 

Discover the film and its teaser 

 

Discover the making of the film 

 

The Angoulême Francophone Film Festival: a celebration of French-language cinema

Founded by Marie-France Brière and Dominique Besnehard, the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival (FFA) celebrates French-language cinema and brings together industry professionals, artists and audiences in Angoulême every summer. The festival showcases contemporary films, cinematic heritage and emerging talents.

Its 19th edition took place from August 24 to 29, 2026. Feature films in competition, premieres, short films, talks, masterclasses and round-table discussions filled six days dedicated to French-language cinema.

Films presented in Angoulême over the years include:

• The Intouchables;
• Hippocrates;
• Aline;
• The Marching Band;
• Holy Cow.

In 2026, the competition jury was chaired by actor and director Franck Dubosc. The Valois de Diamant, the festival’s top award, was presented to Gustave Kervern’s feature film Voilà, c’est fini.

 

Discover the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival 

 

A new award for “The Day I Licked a Pebble”

It was at this festival that “The Day I Licked a Pebble” received the Valois René Laloux Award for Best Animated Short Film during the closing ceremony on Saturday, August 29, 2026.

This new award adds another milestone to an already impressive journey for the graduation film created by our six young directors. Following its selections and first awards at several festivals, as well as its inclusion in the Official Selection of the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the film has now been recognized at a festival celebrating French-language cinema as a whole.

For MoPA, this award is a source of great pride. It highlights the collective work of Marie PIJOLLET, Flavie ELIÉZER, Nathan JAUZE, Goli ATEFI, Maud KOLASA and Chloé BERNUCHON, as well as their ability to take a student project beyond the school and present it to industry professionals and diverse audiences.

Festivals play an important role in the life of a short film after its production. Selections and awards give young directors the opportunity to showcase their work, meet industry professionals and introduce their creative worlds to new audiences.

 

Read about the film’s selection at the 2026 Annecy Festival 

 

MoPA’s 3D Animation Cinema Program: training the talents of tomorrow

“The Day I Licked a Pebble” was created as part of MoPA’s 3D Animation Cinema Program. Following one year of Preparatory Year, the five-year degree program enables students to progressively develop the artistic, cinematic and technical skills required to create a 3D animated film.

The program is structured around two cycles: an initial three-year cycle focused on acquiring the fundamentals, followed by a two-year cycle dedicated to advanced skills and professional development. The program leads to a Bac+5 Expert in 3D Design, Production and Animation degree, RNCP Level 7.

In the fifth year, the curriculum focuses on the creation of a graduation film. Over several months, students work as a team under conditions similar to those of a professional studio. They draw on the skills developed throughout their studies to manage the various stages of production: pre-production, directing, animation, image, production and post-production.

These films represent both the culmination of their studies and a first professional calling card. Once completed, some continue their journey through festivals in France and abroad. “The Day I Licked a Pebble” is a perfect example of this today.

 

Discover the 3D Animation Cinema Program 

 

A new generation has now completed its journey at MoPA. The graduation films created by our class of 2026 graduates are beginning their own journeys beyond the school. We hope to see them travel to many festivals and, perhaps, see some of them among the future short films competing at the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival.