Hand-drawn Tangles lands at IFC for Oscar-qualifying run
Independent Film Company and Sapan Studio have acquired North American rights to Tangles, the hand-drawn Cannes standout and Leah Nelson's directorial debut. IFC will stage an Oscar-qualifying theatrical run later this year, then expand wider in early 2027, putting the Alzheimer's family drama in the best animated feature race.
The deal, first reported by Variety, plants the adult-skewing animated feature squarely in this season's Oscars conversation. For more awards and release alerts, follow BlasterPost Streaming & TV Alerts.
Key Takeaways
- Independent Film Company and Sapan Studio bought North American rights to Tangles.
- The hand-drawn film will get an Oscar-qualifying theatrical run before year's end.
- It premiered at Cannes 2026 to a lengthy standing ovation and hits TIFF in September.
- The voice cast includes Abbi Jacobson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston and Seth Rogen.
- A wider theatrical expansion is planned for early 2027.
What is Tangles about?
Tangles is adapted by Nelson, Trev Renney and Sarah Leavitt from Leavitt's graphic memoir Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer's, My Mother and Me. The story unfolds in expressive, predominantly black-and-white animation.
It follows a family navigating early-onset Alzheimer's, tracing parent-child bonds, identities built away from home, and the humor and resilience that remain as memory slips. Nelson's debut is framed as both poignant and unexpectedly funny.
When will North American audiences see the film?
After its world premiere at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival as an Official Selection Special Screening, Tangles will make its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September as part of the Centerpiece program.
IFC plans select theatrical openings later this year for the Oscar-qualifying window, with a wider expansion early in 2027.
Who stars in Tangles and who is releasing it?
The voice cast is led by Abbi Jacobson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Beanie Feldstein, Seth Rogen and Samira Wiley. Pamela Adlon, Sarah Silverman, Bowen Yang, Wanda Sykes, Phil Rosenthal, Adam Shapiro, Pat Finn and Sugar Lyn Beard round out the ensemble.
Independent Film Company, formerly branded IFC, has become a home for adult-driven handcrafted animation, including the Oscar-nominated stop-motion feature Memoir of a Snail. Ayo Kepher-Maat of IFC Entertainment Group negotiated the deal; UTA Independent Film Group and CAA Media Finance represented the filmmakers.
Why does this acquisition matter for awards season?
A theatrical release before year's end is required for Oscar eligibility in the animated feature race, long dominated by major studios. Nelson said IFC connected deeply with the film and is putting its whole heart behind the release.
Kepher-Maat called Tangles visually singular, moving and genuinely funny, specific yet universal about family, identity and love. Producers include teams from Monarch Media, Point Grey Pictures, Giant Ant and LYLAS Pictures, with Louis-Dreyfus among the producers.