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Benjamin Renner

Benjamin Renner (born 14 November 1983) is a , , and filmmaker renowned for his whimsical, hand-drawn-style animated features centered on anthropomorphic animals and heartfelt storytelling. His breakthrough came with the co-direction of the 2012 film , a charming tale of an unlikely friendship between a and a mouse that earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature in 2014, along with and Magritte Awards. Renner's work often blends humor with emotional depth, drawing from his background in and 2D to create films that appeal to both children and adults. In addition to animation, Renner has made significant contributions to comics under the pen name "Reineke", creating acclaimed works such as Un Bébé à Livrer (2011) and Le Grand Méchant Renard (2015), the latter of which was adapted into the 2017 anthology film The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales..., earning César and Lumières Awards in 2018. Collaborating with talents like Vincent Patar, Stéphane Aubier, and Lewis Trondheim, Renner often explores themes of family, adventure, and absurdity through endearing animal protagonists. His most recent project, the 2023 Illumination film Migration, marks a bold shift to 3D computer-generated imagery while retaining his signature 2D-inspired humor and emotional focus, following a duck family's mishap-filled journey from New England to Jamaica. This evolution from intimate European productions to large-scale Hollywood ventures underscores Renner's versatility and enduring influence in the animation industry.

Early life and education

Childhood and influences

Benjamin Renner was born on November 14, 1983, in La Queue-les-Yvelines, a town in northwest France. He grew up in this rural setting, where his family spent summer holidays near the Lot River in southern France, often staying on a neighbor's farm. This environment fostered creativity, though specific details about his family remain limited; early experiences there, such as observing chicks hatching and listening to his father's tales about animal imprinting, ignited his imaginative scenarios involving farm creatures. From a young age, Renner showed a profound fascination with , , and comic books, aspiring to become a artist. His childhood revolved around reading and sketching, cultivating a deep appreciation for visual storytelling that emphasized humor and anthropomorphic animals. These pursuits were further shaped by classic animated cartoons like and Silly Symphonies, which he adored as a child and which influenced his comedic sensibilities.

Formal training

Renner attended Prép'art, a preparatory class for art schools in , in 2000, where he focused on foundational skills in and design to prepare for competitive entrance exams to higher art institutions. Following this, he enrolled at the École européenne supérieure de l'image (EESI) in , , graduating in 2004 with a Diplôme national d'arts plastiques (DNAP) specializing in , or comic art, which built on his early interests in and visuals. In the same year, Renner began studying at La Poudrière, a specialized school located in , , emphasizing practical directing and production techniques in the field. During his time at La Poudrière, Renner directed three student short that marked his transition from static illustration to animated storytelling: Le Corbeau voulant imiter l'Aigle (2006), a fable-inspired piece; Le Plus Gros Président du Monde (2006), a commissioned work exploring satirical themes; and La Queue de la Souris (2007), his graduation depicting clever animal antics, which later received international recognition including the Cartoon d'Or at the European Animated Forum.

Career in animation

Early projects and shorts

Following his formal training at La Poudrière animation school, where he graduated in 2007, Benjamin Renner transitioned into professional by teaching himself to use Director, a tool that allowed him to blend his comic book-style illustrations with motion graphics. This early experimentation enabled him to create simple animated and interactive drawing games, laying the groundwork for his distinctive visual approach centered on humorous, minimalist narratives. Renner's initial professional endeavors built directly on his student work, particularly his graduation short La Queue de la Souris (A Mouse's Tale, 2007), a four-minute film about a clever mouse negotiating its survival with a using cut-out and bold graphic shapes. The short, which screened at numerous international festivals, won the prestigious Cartoon d'Or award at the 2008 Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film, marking his breakthrough in the industry. In parallel, Renner adapted the story into a 2008 under his pen name , a project that reinforced his skills through iterative storytelling and visual refinement. During his time at La Poudrière, Renner directed two additional shorts that honed his directing and storyboarding techniques: Le Corbeau voulant imiter l'aigle (The Raven Wanting to Imitate the Eagle, 2006), an adaptation of a fable exploring ambition and folly, and Le Plus Gros Président du Monde (The Biggest President in the World, 2006), a commissioned one-minute piece for Canal J television addressing environmental themes through satirical humor. These early projects, often featuring anthropomorphic animals and concise, witty plots, were screened at festivals and small-scale venues, helping Renner establish collaborations that emphasized his expertise in economical production. In the late , he continued developing independent short animations and illustrations focused on lighthearted animal tales, further sharpening his craft ahead of larger undertakings.

Feature films

Benjamin Renner's entry into feature-length came with (2012), a French-Belgian co-production that he co-directed alongside Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar. Adapted from the beloved Belgian children's book series by Gabrielle Vincent, the film tells the story of an unlikely friendship between Celestine, a young orphan aspiring to be an , and Ernest, a struggling musician who faces societal prejudices against interspecies bonds. The narrative explores themes of tolerance and companionship through a whimsical plot involving Celestine's nighttime escapades to collect bear teeth for her mouse community's traditions, leading to her encounter with the impoverished Ernest. Produced by La Parti Productions in collaboration with and , the film premiered at the and was distributed by in France. The film's distinctive hand-drawn animation style, reminiscent of watercolor illustrations, was achieved through a digital process that mimicked traditional ink-and-watercolor techniques, allowing for fluid, expressive character movements and a soft, painterly aesthetic that enhanced its storybook feel. Renner's involvement emphasized meticulous attention to character design and emotional subtlety, drawing from his background in graphic novels to infuse the visuals with warmth and detail. Renner's next feature, The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales (2017), marked his expanded role in directing, co-helming the project with Patrick Imbert as an adaptation of his own acclaimed comic book series. This anthology film weaves three interconnected farmyard fables: a stork injured in a plane crash enlists a pig to deliver a baby; a hapless fox attempts to capture a hen but ends up playing the role of the "big bad" wolf; and the same fox impersonates Santa Claus to save Christmas after the real one is sidelined. Produced by Folivari and Panique! with distribution by StudioCanal, the movie blends slapstick humor with heartfelt explorations of family dynamics and absurdity, portraying animals in anthropomorphic scenarios that subvert classic fairy tales. Visually, employs traditional hand-drawn , creating a lively, cartoonish style that echoes the chaotic energy of Renner's source material while maintaining a cohesive, playful tone. This approach allowed Renner to prioritize expressive timing and visual gags, resulting in a feature that feels like an extended version of his earlier short films but with broader narrative scope. In 2023, Renner directed , his first major Hollywood project, produced by in partnership with . The film follows the Mallard family—a cautious duck father named Mack (voiced by ), adventurous mother Pam (), teenage son Dax (Caspar Jennings), and young daughter Gwen (Tresi Gazal)—as they embark on a migratory journey from their New England pond to , encountering urban perils in and forming unexpected alliances along the way. Featuring a star-studded voice cast including as Mack's uncle Dan and as a Jamaican chef, the story balances family bonding with humorous takes on adventure and the uncertainties of change, inspired by real patterns. Renner's direction infused the computer-generated with his signature 2D-inspired flair, using exaggerated expressions and fluid to evoke the charm of hand-drawn classics while leveraging Illumination's technical prowess for vibrant, detailed environments. Across his feature films, Renner consistently blends principles—such as squash-and-stretch techniques and emotional character arcs—with modern digital tools, enabling innovative visuals that prioritize storytelling intimacy and whimsical humor over high-tech spectacle.

Comics work

Pen name and beginnings

Benjamin Renner adopted the pen name "Reineke" in 2008 to pursue his comics work separately from his emerging animation career. This pseudonym, evoking the clever fox from European folklore tales, marked his initial foray into graphic storytelling during the late 2000s. Renner's early comics efforts consisted of self-published sketches and short humorous strips posted on his weblog, where he explored narrative ideas informed by his animation background. These initial works, starting in 2008, drew on his experiences in character design and timing from short films, allowing him to experiment freely with visual humor. His childhood fascination with farm animals, stemming from his summer holidays near the Lot River, provided a foundational influence for these early pieces. The artistic style Renner developed under Reineke featured minimalist with humorous undertones, centered on anthropomorphic animals in everyday scenarios. This approach was shaped by classic French traditions, encountered during his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in , as well as timeless fables that anthropomorphize wildlife for moral and comedic effect. Renner utilized as a creative testing ground, prototyping stories and sequences that he later adapted into , bridging his dual pursuits in graphic and moving media. This transition highlighted the medium's efficiency for rapid iteration compared to the protracted production of .

Major publications

Renner's debut , Un Bébé à Livrer (2011), published by the Vraoum imprint of Delcourt, presents a humorous tale of anthropomorphic animals tasked with delivering a baby after the suffers an . The story follows a , a , and a in their chaotic attempts to complete the delivery, blending slapstick comedy with themes of incompetence and in a full-color format suitable for young readers. In 2015, Renner released Le Grand Méchant Renard, a published by Delcourt, featuring a who intends to eat stolen eggs but instead finds himself raising the hatched . The narrative offers a satirical exploration of and dynamics through episodic animal fables, rendered in Renner's signature style that emphasizes expressive, minimalist illustrations. The book won the 2016 Angoulême Essentials Prize and Comics Prize. This work later served as the basis for segments in Renner's 2017 animated feature film The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales. As of 2025, Renner has not published major subsequent comics, with his focus shifting toward animation projects.

Awards and recognition

Animation awards

Benjamin Renner's contributions to animated feature films have earned him notable accolades, particularly highlighting his innovative storytelling and hand-drawn animation style in international and French cinema. His breakthrough film, Ernest & Celestine (2012), co-directed with Vincent Patar and Stéphane Aubier, received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 86th Academy Awards in 2014, serving as his first significant global recognition for blending watercolor aesthetics with heartfelt narratives. The film also won the César Award for Best Animated Film at the 38th César Awards in 2013, a prestigious honor from the French film industry that underscored its cultural impact and artistic merit. Additionally, Ernest & Celestine garnered multiple nominations at the 41st Annie Awards in 2014, including for Best Animated Feature, Outstanding Achievement in Directing in an Animated Feature Production, and Outstanding Achievement in Character Animation in an Animated Feature Production, reflecting its excellence in animation craftsmanship. For The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales (2017), co-directed with Patrick Imbert and adapted from Renner's own comic, the anthology received the André-Martin Award for Best French Feature Film at the in 2018, celebrating its whimsical humor and faithful adaptation of material. It also won the César Award for Best Animated Film at the 43rd in 2018 and the Lumière Award for Best Animated Film at the 23rd in 2018. The film earned nominations at the 45th in 2018, including for Best Animated Feature-Independent, Outstanding Achievement for Writing in an Animated Feature Production, and Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation in an Animated Feature Production. Renner's 2023 directorial effort , an Illumination production, achieved substantial commercial success with a worldwide gross exceeding $300 million and received positive for its adventure; it was nominated for the Award for Best Anthropomorphic Motion Picture in 2023 and for Outstanding Achievement for in an Animated Feature (Tresi Gazal as Gwen) at the 51st in 2024, though it has not won major awards as of November 2025.

Comics awards

Benjamin Renner's comic publications have garnered recognition in major French festivals and literary prizes, particularly for their inventive humor and appeal to young readers. In 2016, his album Le Grand Méchant Renard (published 2015 by Delcourt) won the Fauve Prix Jeunesse at the , selected by a jury of children aged 8 to 12 for its exceptional comedic strength and engaging storytelling. The same work also received the Prix de la BD that year, awarded by the retailer to highlight outstanding comics with broad accessibility and wit, as well as the Prix du Festival BD de , the Prix du Public "Du Vent dans les BD", and the Prix des Lecteurs du Journal de Mickey. These honors emphasize Renner's ability to craft humorous narratives that resonate across media, as Le Grand Méchant Renard and his earlier Un Bébé à Livrer (2011, under the pen name ) were subsequently adapted into segments of the 2017 animated anthology film Le Grand Méchant Renard et autres contes, which itself earned critical acclaim. As of 2025, no major new awards or nominations have been reported for Renner's ongoing comic series.

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