MIAM! Buys Global Rights to Stop-Motion Film TRASH!
A Cup with a Conscience: How TRASH! Gives Voice to Waste Through Stop-Motion
MIAM! Distribution has acquired international rights to TRASH!, a bold and inventive 50-minute eco-comedy for young adults. Produced by Darjeeling and currently airing on ARTE France, the film merges live-action settings with tactile stop-motion animation to deliver satire, humor, and an urgent call for environmental awareness.
A Voice for the Unseen
At the story’s heart is Gobi, a single-use coffee cup who, after his brief moment of glory holding Mary’s latte, finds himself facing the long, lonely road of decomposition—some 200 years—with an existential crisis to match. Through sharp humor and surreal scenarios, TRASH! asks audiences to reconsider the afterlife of our everyday waste.
Creators at Play
The series was conceived by Géraldine de Margerie (Loulou, Call My Agent) and Maxime Donzel (Toutouyoutou, Tutotal). It was co-directed by Benjamin Nuel, whose work has been celebrated at Venice, and animation veteran Kim Keukeleire, well known for her contributions to Chicken Run, Isle of Dogs, and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. Their collaboration blends satirical writing with expressive stop-motion performance, creating a production that is both playful and pointed.
Crafting with Objects, Breathing Life into Waste
What truly sets TRASH! apart is its hybrid visual approach. Live-action footage captured on the streets and sewers of Paris serves as the backdrop, while discarded objects themselves are transformed into characters through stop-motion. By giving waste items faces and voices, the animators turn overlooked debris into protagonists with humor, pathos, and humanity. This tactile style adds emotional resonance while reinforcing the environmental message.
Casting That Connects
The voice cast features a blend of established actors and fresh personalities, including Sébastien Chassagne, Romane Bohringer, Anaïde Rozam, Jenny Letellier, and Ludovic Franceschet—a Paris sanitation worker who has cultivated a large following on TikTok. Their performances help the film balance satirical bite with genuine warmth.
Viral Impact & Eco Initiatives
TRASH! has already struck a chord online, amassing nearly 2 million TikTok views in under 10 days. Its production also reflects a meaningful collaboration with environmental institutions such as Alcome, Gestes Propres, Syctom, and Refashion, demonstrating how animation can engage with ecological issues through creative partnerships.
Darjeeling & MIAM!’s Ongoing Journey
For MIAM! Distribution, this is another milestone in their longstanding collaboration with Darjeeling. Since 2016, the partnership has produced internationally successful titles like Yeti Tales, Our Summer of Freedom, and Fail in Love. With TRASH!, they continue their mission of presenting inventive, socially resonant works that push the boundaries of animated storytelling.
References:
- Variety: MIAM! Distribution Acquires Rights to Darjeeling’s “TRASH!”
- Animation Magazine: Miam! Distribution Picks Up “TRASH!” Intl. Rights From Darjeeling
- Senal News: Miam Distribution Acquired Rights From Darjeeling’s “Trash”
