Netflix’s Animated Tearjerker In Waves Selected to Open The American French Film Festival

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The American French Film Festival (TAFFF) has officially chosen the critically acclaimed animated feature In Waves to kick off its 2026 event as the opening night film.

Directed by French-Vietnamese filmmaker Phuong Mai Nguyen, the movie arrived on the festival circuit with serious momentum following its world premiere at Cannes’ Critics’ Week—where it made history as the first animated feature ever selected to open the prestige parallel strand. Shortly after its Cannes bow, Netflix acquired global distribution rights for the film.

A Bittersweet Tale of Love, Surfing, and Grief

Adapted from AJ Dungo’s celebrated autobiographical graphic novel, In Waves follows the coming-of-age story of AJ, a shy teenager in Southern California whose life is transformed when he falls in love with Kristen, a passionate surfer. As AJ immerses himself in her world of wave-riding, ocean culture, and coastal living, their future is suddenly upended by a devastating medical diagnosis.

The feature showcases a star-studded voice cast across both language iterations:

  • English-Language Cast: Academy Award nominee Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once) voices Kristen alongside Will Sharpe (The White Lotus) as AJ.

  • French-Language Cast: Features rising stars Lyna Khoudri (The French Dispatch), Rio Vega, and Paul Kircher.

Bridging French Artistry and Global Audiences

Nguyen’s debut feature blends 2D stylized visual backdrops with shifting color palettes to capture the distinct phases of youth, love, and grief. By incorporating elements of Polynesian surfing history and mythology alongside its intimate contemporary narrative, In Waves highlights how animation can handle raw, adult human stories without relying on standard genre tropes.

Following its headlining premiere at The American French Film Festival in Los Angeles, In Waves will hit digital platforms via Netflix on December 11, 2026.