Quay Brothers Receive Honorary Cristal at Annecy Animation Festival

The Annecy International Animation Film Festival awarded an Honorary Cristal to the Quay Brothers, Stephen and Timothy, on June 23, 2026. The American twin filmmakers, known for their surreal stop-motion animation, have been creating distinctive work for over 50 years. Their films feature hybrid animals, marionettes, and surreal narratives, contrasting sharply with Disney. They have inspired artists like Christopher Nolan, Peter Greenaway, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Peter Gabriel, for whom they directed a famous chicken dance music video. In an interview, the brothers discussed their creative process, noting that they often use paintings as starting points, citing Magritte and Fragonard. They studied at the Royal College of Art in London, initially as painters and illustrators before moving into animation. Their work frequently incorporates German language and culture, referencing writers like Rilke, Kafka, and Walser, as well as Wunderkammern. They collaborated with Stockhausen on a film score that they described as overwhelming. The brothers consider their work not strange but an exploration of scale and alternative worlds.