nWave Studios positions "Yugly" as a triumphant fusion of cutting-edge European CG animation and heartfelt storytelling, showcasing their evolution from dialogue-heavy features to cinematic 'show don't tell' mastery while expanding into new global markets.
Sources reveal this wasn't just any greenlight — pairing nWave veteran Jérémie Degruson with relative newcomer Yanis Belaid was described as 'a bet' by producer Matthieu Zeller. The generational clash apparently worked, but insiders note the pressure on both directors to justify that $28.7M price tag was immense.
"Yugly" has a €25 million ($28.7 million) budget with 150 people working on production. Distribution deals are confirmed for France (SND), Benelux (Independent Films), Spain (ACF), Scandinavia (Scanbox), and the Baltics (Ad Astra). The film world premieres June 21, 2026 at Annecy's Bonlieu main venue.
nWave is playing with house money here — if "Yugly" lands with families worldwide, they've proven European animation can compete with Hollywood budgets. But that $28.7M gamble means the pressure is on for tail-wagging success.
For the third consecutive year, nWave Studios boarded the Eurostar from Brussels to Annecy, but this year's journey carries significantly higher stakes than previous festivals. The Belgian-French animation house is bringing "Yugly" — their twelfth feature and most ambitious production yet — to open the prestigious non-competitive section Annecy Presents today at the Bonlieu main venue. The animated comedy follows an ugly dog with beautiful dreams: competing in the prestigious Best in Dog Show competition.
With a budget of €25 million (approximately $28.7 million), nWave has poured substantial resources into what producer Matthieu Zeller calls 'a bet that paid off handsomely' — pairing veteran director Jérémie Degruson ("Bigfoot Family," "The Inseparables") with newcomer Yanis Belaid ("Les larmes de la Seine"). The co-directors discovered their shared love for dogs and common creative references over three years of production, creating what Degruson describes as 'a shared language right from the start.' But make no mistake — this wasn't simply a passion project.
With 150 artists working on "Yugly," nWave has already locked in distribution deals across France (SND), Benelux (Independent Films), Spain (ACF), Scandinavia (Scanbox), and the Baltics (Ad Astra). French-speaking African territories went to Les Films 26 while English-speaking Africa and Pathé took other regions. Rights remain available for the U.K., Germany, Italy, North and Latin America, Australia/New Zealand, and Asian markets excluding Vietnam and Mongolia — a strategic patchwork that suggests nWave is hedging their bets on this $28.7M gamble.
The creative team behind "Yugly" acknowledges they deliberately broke from nWave's previous formula. 'In the past, nWave films tended to be all about snappy dialogs and babbling protagonists,' Belaid explained. 'With "Yugly," we went for a "show don't tell" approach.' Co-director Degruson echoed this sentiment: 'There's more in four heads than two.
Creative input at the right time is always welcome.' The collaboration extended to CG supervisor Christopher Grao and storyboard artist Kevin Hermans, who helped craft what nWave calls their most cinematic animated feature to date. Annecy's artistic director Marcel Jean praised "Yugly" earlier this year for its 'heartfelt story and relatable characters' — high praise that puts additional pressure on the film's commercial performance. For Degruson, presenting at Annecy hits differently: he previously showed "The Inseparables" at the Bonlieu three years ago.
Now returning with a film he's called 'dear to us,' the director admitted his ultimate measure of success is simpler than box office projections. 'If our film can provide happiness to children, and even people in general, I'll be a happy director.' Whether audiences agree remains to be seen — but one thing's certain: nWave has bet everything on this ugly dog becoming beautiful box office gold.
