Exceptional meeting with Bill Plympton at the Atelier de Sèvres

To mark the release of his upcoming film Duel at Monte Carlo del Norte, in theaters November 5, American director Bill Plympton came to meet with students at the Atelier de Sèvres for an exceptional masterclass.

A rare dive into the world of one of the most corrosive and poetic cartoonists of his generation. 

A pioneer of independent animation

Considered a major figure in independent animation, Bill Plympton shared his career path, inspirations, and entirely artisanal working methods with the students. As an illustrator and director, he champions an “old-fashioned” approach, consisting of thousands of hand-drawn pencil sketches that are imperfect and lively. 

Born in 1946, he made a name for himself in the 1980s with his short films Your Face and 25 Ways to Quit Smoking, before going on to direct several cult feature films:  L’Impitoyable lune de miel (1998), Les Mutants de l’espace (2001), Hair High (2004), and Les Amants électriques (2014). Awarded at Annecy and supported by the AFCA, he continues his work independently from his New York studio, oscillating between social satire, dark humor, and subversive poetry.

Duel in Monte Carlo del Norte: a western with a Plympton twist

Certified by the AFCA, Duel à Monte Carlo del Norte revisits the western genre with the humor and madness characteristic of its author. The film was screened in preview at the Animation Film Festival, ahead of its nationwide release scheduled for November 5.

An inspiring encounter for the students of the Atelier de Sèvres, who were able to discover firsthand the creative process of a unique artist, always guided by a passion for drawing and the freedom to create.