FIAF Animation First Festival 2021

Calamity Jane (Calamity, une enfance de Martha Jane Cannary)

Expired February 16, 2021 8:00 AM
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Available 6pm ET Fri, Feb 12 to 11:45pm ET Mon, Feb 15


Calamity Jane made its US premiere on Animation First's opening night, Fri, Feb 5, with an exclusive one-night-only screening. Due to overwhelming interest, FIAF, production company Maybe Movies, and film distributor Indie Sales are pleased to present an encore screening of the film over the final four days of the Festival.


Director Rémi Chayé took us behind-the-scenes of the film during a live talk on Sat, Feb 6. Watch the talk on demand here.

Calamity Jane

Calamity, une enfance de Martha Jane Cannary

Dir. Rémi Chayé, France and Denmark, 2020, 85 min.

In French with English subtitles

Ages 6 and up


Winner of the Crystal Award for best feature at the 2020 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, this lush period piece centers on the young 19th-century American heroine who would become the icon, Calamity Jane.


As she travels across the US frontier on a wagon train, young Martha Jane Cannary astonishes her fellow travelers when she breaks gender norms to lead her family’s covered wagon and take care of the horses. While she never felt freer, the brazen act brings scorn and anger from her community. Accused of stealing, Martha Jane strikes out on her own and tries to vindicate herself under a newly minted name, Calamity Jane. Her adventures, on the open frontier where men and women pioneers strive to build better lives, shape Calamity Jane into one of the legendary figures of the Wild West.


This feminist retelling shows how young Martha Jane Cannary fought against a sexist and male-dominated society to become an iconic frontierswoman.


“It’s an honor to bring Calamity Jane to FIAF’s Animation First. As an American tale, adapted by a French filmmaker, it feels uniquely suited to receive its US Premiere at this Festival, and I look forward to discussing the years-long process of bringing it to fruition with American audiences.” — Rémi Chayé

  • Year
    2020
  • Runtime
    85 minutes
  • Language
    French with English subtitles
  • Country
    France, Denmark
  • Premiere
    US Premiere
  • Note
    6 and up
  • Director
    Rémi Chayé