Les Astronautes

Les Astronautes is an independent French animation and audiovisual production company founded in 2018. Based around a director- and author-led approach, it develops and produces original work across animated features, television series and specials, short films, documentaries, music videos, and interactive or virtual-reality experiences.

The company combines original IP development with a substantial 2D animation production capability. Its work spans development, writing, financing, production, co-production, executive production, and distribution, with projects intended for theatrical, broadcast, festival, streaming, and digital contexts. The studio also works with external producers and broadcasters on animation fabrication.

Animation production

Its technical practice centres on 2D digital and traditional animation, including:

• Toon Boom Harmony rigging and technical setup
• Character and background design
• Storyboarding, clean-up, in-betweening, shading, and compositing
• Character technical design and pipeline integration
• Shadow animation and visual finishing

A dedicated fabrication operation supports this work, providing animation execution for partner productions while the wider company continues to develop its own projects. This combined model enables Les Astronautes to work both as a producer of original films and series and as an animation-production partner on French and European projects.

Selected work

The company’s slate includes the feature project Bataille, directed by Vergine Keaton and co-produced with Iliade et Films; it was selected for the 2026 Annecy Animation Showcase at the Cannes Marché du Film. Other credited work includes Le Sommet des dieux, Sirocco et le Royaume des courants d'air, La Petite Morte, Papa et moi, Artjacking!, Les Quiquoi, Sulaimani, Mont Noir, Kaminhu, and the VR short Kidnapping à Vostok.

Les Astronautes also collaborates through French and international co-productions, drawing on regional production-support mechanisms and tax-rebate frameworks where relevant. Its output ranges from auteur-led animation and documentary work to episodic television and immersive storytelling, united by a focus on narrative and graphic expression.