IFC Acquires Cannes Buzz Title 《Tangles》 and Launches Awards Campaign

Leah Nelson’s animated feature Tangles follows Sarah as she returns home to care for her mother, whose Alzheimer’s is changing their family. Independent Film Company and Sapan Studio acquired North Am

Director Leah Nelson’s first feature-length animated film 《Tangles》 premiered at the Cannes Film Festival’s Special Screening on May 14, 2026. Nelson, Sarah Leavitt, and Trev Len adapted Leavitt’s graphic memoir *Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer's, My Mother and Me*, which follows Sarah as she returns to her family’s hometown after Alzheimer’s begins changing her mother’s personality.

The film is a 102-minute Canadian-American co-production. The Cannes Film Festival introduced it as Nelson’s first film and described its focus as the protagonist’s journey of caring for family while confronting the loss of memory. The Annecy International Animation Film Festival classified it as a comedy-drama and stated that it uses 2D computer animation.

The voice cast includes Abbi Jacobson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Seth Rogen, Beanie Feldstein, and Samira Wiley. Giant Ant, Lylas Pictures, Monarch Media, and Point Grey Pictures participated in the production.

On August 27, 2026, Independent Film Company and Sapan Studio announced the acquisition of the North American rights. Independent Film Company plans to conduct a limited theatrical release in 2026 to qualify for Academy Award consideration, then expand to a wider theatrical release in early 2027.