In Waves is director Nguyen Phuong Mai’s feature debut, based on AJ Dungo’s graphic novel of the same name. Invited to open Cannes Critics’ Week this year as the first animated film ever to do so, it moved many audiences to tears. Set against a California surf scene lined with beautiful beaches, the film follows shy Asian American high schooler AJ as he falls for Kristen, the girl most radiant on the waves, and comes of age with her. From their awkward first encounter to the ripening of their love, the pair’s budding chemistry draws laughter and empathy throughout. But their radiant days take an unexpected turn, and both sorrow and love wash in and out like waves. Amidst it all, In Waves quietly gazes at what never fades in the end.
Nguyen Phuong Mai is a Vietnamese director who studied animation at Gobelins and La Poudrière in France. She co-directed Brazen (2019), adapted from a graphic novel, and has collaborated on storyboarding and visual development for a number of animated films and series. Her short film My Home (2014) was shortlisted for the César Award and the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. In Waves is her feature directorial debut, and it opened Cannes Critics’ Week.
From Busan International Film Festival 2026, No. 31
