Planètes is a French animated film directed by Momoko Seto, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Alain Layrac. This eco-themed science fiction story is set to hit theatres on March 11, 2026. With a runtime of 1 hour and 15 minutes and suitable for viewers aged 8 and up, the film was showcased at various festivals in 2025, including a screening during the Closing Night at the Cannes Critics' Week, where it was part of the official selection.
In a future devastated by nuclear explosions, Earth has become a lifeless, uninhabitable wasteland. Miraculously surviving, four dandelion seeds are launched into the cosmos. Carried by stellar winds, they drift through space until they land on an unknown planet—an environment that’s both deadly and full of promise.
What begins then for these fragments of life is a silent, perilous journey of exploration. Searching for fertile ground, they confront unpredictable forces and unfamiliar surroundings. Beneath this basic quest lies a fable about survival and resilience, where vulnerability transforms into a driving force for adaptation and growth.
The film continues the exploration started by Momoko Seto, renowned for her hybrid works that blur the lines between experimental cinema and scientific documentary. In this piece, the filmmaker crafts a distinctive visual universe, blending organic textures, meticulous lighting, and a sensory-driven approach to animation. Rather than relying on conventional dialogue-driven storytelling, the narrative favors observation and motion, inviting viewers into a meditative, immersive experience.
Noticed as early as 2022 by the Gan Foundation for Cinema, which awarded it a special prize, the project continued to make waves in the festival circuit: it took home the Paul Grimault Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in 2025, was selected for the Critics’ Week at Cannes the same year, and earned a non-competitive spot at Gérardmer’s Fantastic’Arts in 2026. This journey highlights the film’s growing prominence within the contemporary auteur animation scene.
With its lack of human characters and a perspective focused entirely on plant life, Planètes aligns with a growing trend in eco-themed animated cinema that explores the role of living beings in the aftermath of catastrophe. Its meditative pace and cosmic aesthetic appeal to curious families, while also attracting viewers drawn to unconventional visual storytelling and environmental narratives.
Planètes
Film | 2026
Release Date in theaters: March 11, 2026
Animation, Science Fiction | Runtime: 1h15
Directed by Momoko Seto
Original Title: Planètes
Country: France
Blending cosmic poetry with reflections on life after catastrophe, Planètes takes viewers on a minimalist odyssey where the tiniest details become epic. The film delves into the resilience of life and its power to reinvent itself, merging science fiction with a naturalist sense of wonder.
To make the most of your in-theater experience, check out the March movie releases, the must-see films of the moment, and our curated selection of animated films of the year.
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