Natalie Portman and Alfonso Cuarón Join Annecy International Film Festival’s Carte Blanche Sidebar

Natalie Portman and Alfonso Cuarón have been added to the guest list for the Annecy International Film Festival in France, ahead of the festival’s opening this weekend. The announcement, made by Deadline on June 15, names the pair as participants in Annecy’s Carte Blanche sidebar, a program that allows selected guests to put forward an animation they would like to showcase for festival audiences.

Under the Carte Blanche format, Portman and Cuarón will each choose an animated title they want to present as part of the festival lineup. The festival will then feature those selections within the program’s dedicated sidebar programming, connecting high-profile filmmakers with the event’s focus on animation and emerging artists.

Portman, who is listed by Deadline as an actress and producer, joins Annecy’s program alongside Cuarón, the filmmaker credited with directing a number of major feature films and known for his work across multiple genres. Deadline’s report frames the invitation as part of the festival’s effort to draw internationally recognized creators into its annual slate.

The festival’s addition of both Portman and Cuarón comes as Annecy prepares for its opening weekend, when the curated lineup typically begins drawing audiences to screenings and public events. For attendees, the Carte Blanche sidebar is positioned as a way to see animation through the perspective of creators whose careers have often extended beyond the medium.

No additional details were provided in the Deadline report about which specific animated works Portman and Cuarón will select, nor did it specify whether the artists will appear in person for related events beyond their roles as guests selecting titles.

Annecy’s Carte Blanche sidebar has been designed to highlight distinctive curation choices from invited figures, turning the program into a mix of festival discovery and star-led context. With Portman and Cuarón named as guests, the festival will likely use the segment to broaden interest in animation among audiences who may not otherwise follow the event’s day-to-day programming.

Organizers will continue to roll out information about screenings and the broader Annecy schedule as the opening approaches. For Portman and Cuarón, the next step is the finalization of the animated works they are selecting for display, and any associated festival programming that follows from those selections.