story
In 1811, Mary Anning, an inquisitive and tenacious twelve-year-old girl, spends her days searching for fossils. Her father passed on this passion to her, but her life suddenly changes when he disappears, leaving behind a mysterious drawing and a struggling family. Determined to help her mother and brother, Mary tries to uncover the secret of the drawing. She will discover so much more than just fossils: friendships, adventures, and the very start of palaeontology.
author
Born in 1985 in Lodrin, Switzerland. An animated film director and picture book author, Barelli lives and works in Geneva. He loves animals and nature, which is why he develops all his projects in connection with them. His short films have been selected for numerous international festivals, where they have won many awards. Mary Anning is his first feature film.
filmography (selection)
2022 Autosaurus Rex
2024 Martha
2025 Mary Anning
“Mary Anning is a poor girl, barely making it through the day, and society looks at her with disapproval. Her strength is in her consistency, her determination. She embodies the positive force that I wanted to convey in the film; she insists on continuing to do what she loves, something right and important.” - Marcel Barelli
Mary Anning Mary Anning, chasseuse de fossils
Screenings
directed by Marcel Barelli , screenplay Marcel Barelli, Pierre-Luc Granjon, Magali Pouzol , animation Maelle Chevallier, editing Maelle Chevallier, music Shyle Zalewski , producers Nicolas Burlet, Arnaud Demuynck, Tatjana Kozar , world sales Be For Films,
festivals, awards Annecy 2025, Locarno 2025
IMDbPhotos
What's On
If You Are Afraid You Put Your Heart into Your Mouth and Smile Wenn du Angst hast nimmst du dein Herz in den Mund und lächelst
Marie Luise Lehner
Tuesday, 23. 06. 2026 / 19:00 / Main Hall
This film explores class differences, belonging, human closeness, and the search for identity – from shame to pride. It is a radically tender coming-of-age story accompanied by a wealth of fresh, alternative music.
Sandbag Dam Zečji nasip
Čejen Černić
Tuesday, 23. 06. 2026 / 21:30 / Kinodvorišče
A story of forbidden love in the Croatian countryside, Sandbag Dam won the Kinotrip Youth Jury Award at Ljubljana International Film Festival (Liffe), as well as four awards at the Pula Film Festival.
God Will not Help Bog neće pomoći
Hana Jušić
Wednesday, 24. 06. 2026 / 18:10 / Main Hall
The second feature film from Hana Jušić (Quit Staring at My Plate) is a darkly poetic neo-Western about a mysterious Chilean woman who brings unrest to a traditional Croatian shepherding community at the beginning of the 20th century. Blending elements of Wuthering Heights, Croatian folklore, and Jane Campion’s The Piano, the film earned its two leading actresses an award at Locarno.