I Found a Box – A Whimsical Cutout Adventure by Éric Montchaud
A simple box becomes a spark for imagination in Éric Montchaud’s latest short film, I Found a Box (J’ai trouvé une boîte), a poetic ten-minute cutout animation from France produced by Sacrebleu Productions. The film follows Guy, a curious bird running through a quiet forest, who suddenly stumbles upon a mysterious box. The encounter leads to a gentle, open-ended question that drives both the story and the audience’s imagination: “But what can this box be used for?”
A Return to Handcrafted Storytelling
Montchaud, known for his expressive cutout and puppet-based animation, continues to explore emotional storytelling through tactile design and movement. In I Found a Box, the visual language is stripped down to its essentials — flat characters, paper textures, and delicate lighting that evoke a handmade sensibility. Though digitally composited, the film maintains the imperfect charm of traditional paper cutouts, bringing warmth and depth to every scene.
The world of I Found a Box feels like a child’s drawing come to life — a hallmark of Montchaud’s style. His earlier works, such as Lettres de Femmes (2013), demonstrated a similar sensitivity to material textures and motion, blending humor and melancholy. Here, the minimalist setting and soft palette create a calm atmosphere where every movement, blink, and rustle becomes expressive.
Music and Mood
The original score by composer Pierre Bastien adds an inventive layer to the short. Bastien’s trademark use of mechanical instruments and minimal melodies complements the stop-motion-like rhythm of the visuals. The music underscores Guy’s curiosity and hesitation as he tries to understand the strange object in front of him.
The sound design works in tandem with the cutout animation — footsteps crunch softly in the forest, and the ambient tones give a sense of depth despite the stylized flatness of the world.
Themes of Curiosity and Play
I Found a Box celebrates the moment of discovery — a childlike curiosity that animators and audiences alike can relate to. Guy’s question, “What can this box be used for?”, becomes a metaphor for creativity itself. The short invites viewers to imagine countless possibilities — turning a simple, everyday object into a portal for wonder and invention.
That thematic simplicity makes the film especially resonant with younger audiences. It has already been featured in family-friendly festival programs, such as IndieLisboa’s IndieJúnior selection, where it stood out for its charm and accessibility.
A Festival Favorite
The short premiered in 2024 and began its festival circuit in 2025, appearing at events including Clermont-Ferrand, Varna International Animation Festival, and IndieLisboa. At Clermont-Ferrand, it was distributed through L’Agence du court métrage, with sales handled by Ron Dyens of Sacrebleu Productions.
Festival programmers have praised the short for its craftsmanship and its emotional simplicity — a combination that aligns closely with Montchaud’s storytelling approach. I Found a Box is both a visual poem and a reminder of the power of simple animation techniques to evoke deep emotion.
About the Director
Éric Montchaud studied at the prestigious La Poudrière animation school and has built a career exploring mixed-media techniques that merge stop motion, cutout, and traditional 2D. His work often centers around introspection and relationships, expressed through physical, textured animation that feels alive in every frame.
Montchaud’s collaboration with Sacrebleu Productions continues a long tradition of French studios nurturing auteur animation — short films that balance artistic freedom with technical precision.
Final Thoughts
I Found a Box is a charming and thoughtful reflection on curiosity, perception, and the beauty of the unknown. Through its delicate cutout animation and minimalist storytelling, Éric Montchaud has created a film that feels both timeless and deeply personal — a perfect example of how handmade aesthetics continue to thrive in contemporary animation.
Film Information
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Title: I Found a Box (J’ai trouvé une boîte)
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Director / Writer / Graphic Author: Éric Montchaud
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Composer: Pierre Bastien
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Producer: Sacrebleu Productions
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Country: France
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Year: 2025
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Runtime: 10 minutes
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Technique: Cutout animation
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Distributor / Sales: L’Agence du court métrage, Ron Dyens – Sacrebleu Productions
