short film – 13’55 – 2023
From the tormented little mermaid to the fulfilled woman she is today, Gigi tells us about her gender transition with humor and sensitivity.
Cynthia Calvi
Cynthia Calvi & Gigi
Xbo films
digital 2D
Born in 1991, Cynthia Calvi studied at EMCA in Angoulême, where she directed her first animated documentary, “Tournée” (2015), before joining the “En sortant de l’école” collection in Lille, where she directed the short film “Le portrait modèle” (2018). She then joined the management team of the Train-train studio, which contributed to the making of “Gigi” (2023), produced by Xbo Films, in collaboration with Studio des Affranchis in Toulouse.

Nominated for best animated short at the Cesar Awards 2025
Queer animation Award at Florence Queer Festival 2025 (Italy)
Best short film at Campus Ciné-Festival 2025 (France)
Animation Is Film Grand Jury Prize 2025 (USA)
Public Award at My French Film Festival 2025
Special mention Sólveig Anspach Award 2025 (Icelande)
Best documentary for children at Docs MX 2024 (Mexico)
Special Mention at Pink Screen 2024 (Belgium)
Special Mention at Animanima 2024 (Serbia)
Helen Hill Animated Short Award Winner at New Orleans Film Festival 2024 (USA)
Student Jury Prize at Cinéopen 2024 (France)
Best Animapride Film Award at Animasyros 2024 (Greece)
Audience Award for Best Trans & Gender Diverse Short au Queer Screen Film Fest 2024 (Australia)
Best animated short film at Festival International du Film de Vébron 2024 (France)
Audience Award at Festival national du film d’animation de Rennes 2024 (France)
22nd edition of Unifrance short film award 2024 (France)

Philadelphia Animation Festival 2025 (États-Unis) / QueerFilmFestival Esslingen 2025 (Germany) / Festival Diversité 2025 (France) / FAFF – Factual Animation Film Festival 2025 (England) / Festival of Animation Berlin 2025 (Germany) / Florence Queer Festival 2025 (Italy) / Copenhagen Short Film Festival 2025 (Denmark) / Queerfilm festival Bremen 2025 (Germany) / Fantoche 2025 (Switzerland) / Corsica.doc 2025 (France) / RIFF – Reykjavík International Film Festival 2025 (Icelande) / Campus Ciné-Festival 2025 (France) / Bolton International Film Festival 2025 (England) / Queersicht Film Festival 2025 (Switzerland) / PERLEN – Queer Film Festival 2025 (Germany) / For Rainbow – Festival De Cinema e Cultura de Diversidade Sexual 2025 (Brazil) / Cineffable Paris International Lesbian & Feminist Film Festival 2025 (France) / Mecal – Festival Internacional de Cortometrajes y Animación 2025 (Spain) /Festival du Cinéma Français en Colombie 2025 (Colombia) / Festival de Cinéma de Douarnenez 2025 (France) / SIFF – Shanghai International Film Festival 2025 (China) / Les yeux ouverts – Rencontres documentaires 2025 (France) / Rio LGBTQIA+ 2025 (Brazil) / Framed Film Festival 2025 (Netherlands) / Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival 2025 (USA) / Cri du Court 2025 (France) / Festival National du Film d’Animation d’Angoulême 2025 (France) / FEMINA – Festival Internacional de Cinema Feminino 2025 (Brazil) / 2ANNAS – Riga International Film Festival 2025 (Latvia) / SEIFF – Short Encounters International Film Festival 2025 (Greece) / Bergamo Film Meeting 2025 (Italy) / Animac 2025 (Espagne) / Sacramento French Film Festival 2025 (USA) / Filmfest Dresden 2025 (Allemagne) / Animocje 2025 (Poland) / Trois Jours Trop Courts 2025 (France) / Festival du Cinéma Européen de Lille 2025 (France) / Aspen Film’s Shortsfest 2025 (USA) / Tout Court – Nuove Voci del Cinema Francofono 2025 (Italy) / Monstra 2025 (Portugal) / Anima 2025 (Belgium) / Paris Court Devant 2025 (France) / My French Film Festival 2025 / FIAF Animation First Festival 2025 (USA) / Film d’Animation de Madagascar 2025 (Madagascar) / Which Human Rights? 2024 (Turquiye) / Festival du court-métrage d’Auch 2024 (France) / Animario 2024 (Spain) / FICFA – Festival International du Cinéma Francophone en Acadie 2024 (Canada) / image+nation 2024 (Canada) / Festival Trans Awareness 2024 (Australia) / GIRAF – Giant Incandescent Resonating Animation Festival 2024 (Canada) / Filmový festival inakosti – Slovak Queer Film Festival 2024 (Slovakia) / Tofuzi – International Festival of Animated Films 2024 (Georgia) / Journées du cinéma français de Leipzig 2024 (Germany) / FIAF Animation First Festival 2024 (USA) / Queer Prisme 2024 (France) / Spark Animation 2024 (Canada) / ReAnimania 2024 (Armenia) / TAF – Thessaloniki Animation Festival 2024 (Greece) / L’Illuminé 2024 (France) / Séquence court métrage 2024 (France) / Festival du Film d’Animation des Villes Sœurs 2024 (France) / Les Arcs Film Festival 2024 (France) / Festival du film français de Prague 2024 (Czech Republic) / DocsMX 2024 (Mexico) / Carrefour de l’animation 2024 (France) / Holebikort 2024 (Belgium) / Bogoshort 2024 (Colombia) / Manchester Animation Festival 2024 (England) / Festival Tous Courts Aix-en-Provence 2024 (France) / American Film Institute Festival 2024 (USA) / SCAD 2024 (USA) / Kyiv International Short Film Festival 2024 (Ukraine) / Uppsala Short Film Festival 2024 (Sweden) / ZEFESTIVAL 2024 (France) / Heart of Gold International Film Festival 2024 (Australia) / Festival Court & Queer 2024 (Canada) / Off Cinema 2024 (Poland) / Du grain à démoudre 2024 (France) / Pink Screens 2024 (Belgium) / Les nuits magiques 2024 (France) / Cinéopen 2024 (France) / Animest 2024 (Romania) / AnimaDoc 2024 (Austria) / Digerati Denver 2024 (USA) / ANIMANIMA 2024 (Serbia) / Black Horses – Ars Independent Festival 2024 (Poland) / Fredrikstad Animation Festival 2024 (Norway) / Batroun Mediterranean Film Festival 2024 (Lebanon) / Tourne-Films Festival 2024 (Switzerland) / Show me Shorts 2024 (New Zealand) / New Orleans Film Festival 2024 (USA) / PLONS 2024 (Netherlands) / Atlantic International Film Festival 2024 (Canada) / Taichung International Animation Festival (TIAF) 2024 / Iris Prize 2024 (United Kingdom) / Animasyros 2024 (Greece) / Animatou 2024 (Switzerland) / Off-Courts Trouville 2024 (France) / DOXS RUHR 2024 (Germany) / Queer Screen 2024 (Australia) / Fantoche 2024 (Switzerland) / Court Métrange 2024 (France) / Animix 2024 (Israel) / Bridge Film Festival 2024 (Italy) / Cinéma sous les étoiles 2024 (France) / Melbourne International Film Festival 2024 (Australia) / Turku Animated Film Festival 2024 (Finland) / Sevil International Women’s Documentary Film Festival 2024 (Azerbaijan) / Festival International du Film de Vébron 2024 (France) / Soundtrack_Cologne 2024 (Germany) / Anibar 2024 (Kosovo) / Filem’On 2024 (Belgium) /La Guarimba 2024 (Italy) / Doc Cévennes 2024 (France) / Curtas vila do Conde 2024 (Portugal) / Fest Anča 2024 (Slovaquia) / Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival 2024 (Canada) / Lovers Film Festival 2024 (Italy) / Annecy Festival 2024 (France) / Festival International du Film Court d’Angoulême 2024 (France) / IFTS 2024 (Germany) / Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival 2024 (Greece) / Tricky Women 2024 (Austria) / Festival national du film d’animation de Rennes 2024 (France) / / Itinérances 2024 (France) / Festival Ciné Court Animé 2024 (France) / Kaboom 2024 (Netherlands) / Animela 2024 (India) / Fipadoc 2024 (France)
With the support of CNC - Pre-production assistance for short film production, FAIA writing and development assistance, Région Occitanie, Pictanovo - Région Haut-de-France, Toulouse Métropole, Procirep and Angoa. Selected for Pitchs at the Festival National du Film d'Animation de Rennes 2020. « From writing to image » residency in Saint-Quirin. Arte Award at Pitchs MIFA at Annecy Festival 2021. With the participation of Arte France