Conversation held on June 24, 2025, in Montigny, Normandy, with Yann Bonnin: writer-director, animator, and head of animation for the Green Tales project. Published in three parts.

Interview conducted by Imane Tamli, multilingual writer and creative contributor at Panodyssey.

Green Tales is a European educational project that gives children a new way to talk about the environment, not through big speeches, but with their hands, their drawings, and their ideas. Through stop-motion short films and creative slideshows, they explore the four elements of nature: water, air, fire, and earth. Each child tells the story of the world as they feel it, in their own unique voice.

Since the very beginning, Yann Bonnin has been part of these workshops. He’s an artist and filmmaker specializing in animation—and above all, someone passionate about sharing his craft. In this conversation, he reflects on his journey, what he’s learned from working with kids, and how it’s reshaped the way he creates.

Composite image from the series: The Shadoks and the Big Blank – Directed by Jacques Rouxel and Laurent Bounoure. Produced by: AAA Productions, Canal+, INA – © 1999, All rights reserved.

Do you have a standout memory or a story from the project?

An anecdote?

Nothing super specific comes to mind right away, but I can definitely say this: Green Tales has been 100% real and hands-on for me. These workshops are deeply rooted in lived experiences on the ground, and they’ve been a total joy.

In Spain, in Ceuta, I had the chance to work with Lucía from the foundation at a school that was just incredible. Honestly, it was the kind of creative school I would’ve dreamed of attending as a kid. A vibrant space, full of energy and imagination, where children grow up surrounded by creativity.

During the day, we ran stop-motion workshops with the kids, and in the evenings, we welcomed teachers and students in training. The whole experience was intense, and incredibly rich on a human level.

And in Iceland, in Akureyri, the context was totally different.

The school where the film was supposed to be made was actually closed, it was vacation time over there. But that kind of last-minute shift is just part of a project like this. Synchronizing calendars across four different countries? That’s no exact science. You just have to adapt.

So instead, we worked remotely with the teachers and artists by video call, and honestly, it went really smoothly. You also have to trust people. I knew they were committed, and in the end, the animation they delivered was top-notch.

Since I was already there, I ended up leading a pedagogical animation workshop at the University of Akureyri with 66 future teachers. A very different audience, sure, but that’s also part of what Green Tales is about, equipping the next generation of educators.

Looking back… what would really be a shame is if one day they didn’t need me anymore, and I missed my chance to go see the Northern Lights again. Now that would be sad!

Kidding aside, the vibe was just as strong. There was a real spirit of teamwork, and those same wide-eyed looks of wonder, just on slightly older faces.

We came up with a short scene: a character drinks from a can and throws it on the ground, bug! Then each group had to imagine a different ending to that act of littering. That’s when it really took off: they built their puppets from recycled materials, designed their sets, and the whole time the energy was just flowing.

When we finally got to animating, everyone got involved, helping, sharing ideas, advising one another. It was like a little hive of creativity. A very animated scene, if I may say so.

I took tons of photos during those workshops and even started editing a video.

One of the great things about working with this kind of audience is that they pick things up quickly, and they share information fast among themselves. They become autonomous in no time. That gave me the freedom to step back, observe, and film them in action.

With kids, that’s just not possible, I have to stay with them the whole time.

By the end of the workshop, nearly all the students were convinced of animation’s creative, playful, and educational power. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

One girl told me, “I’m definitely going to do animation with my future students! It taps into so many skills, from imagination to hands-on creation, and it’s something you can share before, during, and after. It’s incredibly rewarding, pedagogically speaking.”

I mean, what more could I say? Isn’t that the best proof the message got through?

In Germany, in Berlin, Lucia and I ran another workshop with about twenty participants, teachers, students, and since it was also vacation time, some even brought their kids along.

Perfect! We used them as guinea pigs, and the best part is, they went along with it in front of their parents 😄

The atmosphere was great, and the feedback was super encouraging once again. Every time, we adapt, and it always works, no matter the setting.

In Turkey, in Adana, I had the chance to speak with around forty teachers, future educators, but no kids this time.

There was a real sense of enthusiasm, which was super encouraging for what’s to come.

Among the teachers, there was a strong female presence, with a wide range of ages, from those nearing retirement to young graduates just starting out.

Which brings me to something important that Green Tales really confirmed for me.

You asked earlier if I had any anecdotes…

Well, I wouldn’t call it an anecdote, more like a revelation. It touched on one of my biggest aspirations: animation can absolutely be intergenerational.

Back when I started working in animation and digital tools began to emerge, I quickly noticed how hard it was for people nearing the end of their careers to make the transition to new technologies.

There was this inertia, and it set in fast if they didn’t have strong motivation to adapt.

This time, I wasn’t the young guy trying to teach the older ones, instead, I witnessed a kind of unspoken connection between reluctance and eagerness.

I saw that some participants weren’t all that excited about learning the app or animating puppets.

But you know what? They showed genuine interest in imagining the story and creating the characters. And that’s great! I realized younger teachers, or even students, who are tech-savvy and quick to pick things up, could really help bridge the gap. Meanwhile, older participants bring patience, perspective, and strength in areas like storytelling or project guidance. Put those strengths together, and what do you get? A film. A real collaboration.

So yeah, each country had its own rhythm, its own constraints too, but everywhere I went, the experience was deeply human. The richness and diversity of the people I met, that’s what gives real meaning to the Green Tales project.

What would you like children to take away from GREEN TALES, this creative educational project? A message, a feeling?

I hope they remember one essential thing: they already have the power to create. You don’t need a big animation studio like Pixar or fancy equipment. A smartphone, even an old one, will do just fine. Paper, cardboard, modeling clay, pasta, toys, themselves… That’s all they need. But most of all, I want them to unleash their imagination.

To understand that with very little, they can do a lot, by recycling, reimagining everyday objects, and looking around them with fresh eyes.

I also hope they experience what it means to create something together, and feel how powerful that is. You can go much further as a group. Making an animated film as a team teaches you how to listen, collaborate, and build something meaningful with others. That’s key for a child’s confidence. And beyond animation itself, I hope Green Tales shows them that their voices matter, that they’re part of a bigger story, something alive, open, and shared with the world.

As far as I’m concerned, that goal has already been met. And I’m willing to bet that in 10 or 20 years, a new generation of filmmakers from the countries we visited will say: “I discovered animation at school, or at home, with friends and family.”

Oh, and just as we’re wrapping up, I actually do have a true anecdote. In Turkey, my last day of work happened to fall on my birthday. That same day, the whole teaching team was invited for tea at the Governor’s house in Adana. Turkey is a great country, a great civilization, you can feel it the moment you arrive. And I know I’ll go back one day… hopefully for another animation workshop, and maybe also, for the music.

To explore the other parts of this conversation, head over to the Creative Room Green Tales.

Curious to learn more about this European project? Check out the official Green Tales website.

And don’t miss the article: Creative Escape in the Pays de Caux 🍏 Part I and Part II.

And since Yann is also a musician, he shared this track where he plays the guitar part: "Mystery Train" (with Wilfrid Devaux).