1980s, Beauce, France. Hardworking preteen farm boy Christophe strives to be the supportive son his family needs. But when a spinal condition causes him to crash his family’s tractor, he is fitted for an iron back brace that restricts his movements 24/7. Held at arm’s length by his strict father, Christophe finds solace in an apprenticeship with a church organist and an adventurous relationship with Clara, a streetwise girl from his swim class.
In his deeply personal debut solo feature, former Pixar animator Louis Clichy (co-director of two Asterix films) draws from his own childhood and casts his son, Gary Clichy, as the voice of Christophe. The film’s gorgeous animations — hand-painted in watercolours — deploy an expressive use of colour that complements the film’s charming comedic sensibilities. With a Ghibli-inspired blend of realism and fantasy, Iron Boy tackles grounded themes of disability and agricultural modernization while making way for sublime flights of fancy that embody the big, earthshaking feelings of growing up.
Special Jury Prize: Un Certain Regard, Cannes 2026
Supported by
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France/Belgium
2026
In French with English subtitles
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Credits & Director
Producer
Céline Vanlint, Nicolas de Rosanbo, Fabrice Delville, Christophe Toulemonde, Agathe Sofer, Alexandre Astier
Screenwriter
Louis Clichy, Franck Salomé
ANIM
Chloë Aubert
Editor
Vincent Tricon
Art Director
Cécile Guillard
Louis Clichy
Born in 1979 and originally from the Beauce region, Louis Clichy trained in animation at the École des Gobelins in Paris. He began his career as an animator at Pixar, working on Wall-E (2008) and Up (2009) before co-directing Asterix: The Land of the Gods (2014), which won the César Award for Best Animated Film, and Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion (2018). Iron Boy (2026) is his first feature film as a solo director and represents a highly personal style characterised by ink line drawing.
Filmography: Asterix: The Mansions of the Gods (2014); Asterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion (2018)
Photo by Denis Allard
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