Celebrating Our 20th Anniversary!
by Alex Billington
June 5, 2026
Source: Cartoon Brew
“Together they’re the perfect storm.” Cartoon Brew has unveiled the fun first trailer for the indie animated film titled Kiri and Lou Go Raaa!, a stop-motion adventure movie about two dinosaur friends made for kids to enjoy. It’s a feature version of the original series created in 2019 called “Kiri and Lou”. The film is premiering at the 2026 Annecy Film Festival for Animation in France this month, which is why this trailer is out now. Kiri and Lou Go Raaa! is New Zealand’s first stop-motion animated feature, with animation work by artist Antony Elworthy, shooting 2.5D clay models on glass. The prequel to the kids’ series explores how the beloved dinosaur duo first became best friends, with voices by Jemaine Clement as Lou and Olivia Tennet as Kiri (and voiceover by Rachel House). You can read a nice interview with co-directors Harry Sinclair & Antony Elworthy at Cartoon Brew. I’m a big fan of any stop-motion creation, especially something that looks as adorable & amusing as this. “I’m very proud of what we’ve created.” And I can’t wait to watch.
Here’s the first trailer for Harry Sinclair & Antony Elworthy’s film Kiri and Lou Go Raaa!, via YouTube:
Annecy intro: “When Lou, a gentle purple creature with an embarrassingly stretchy trunk, rescues Kiri, an ungrateful little dinosaur, from a flood, they’re swept right into the greatest adventure in prehistory! They hurtle down a rushing river, cross the ocean, travel inside a giant sea creature and outrun an erupting volcano — discovering that you can find friendship in the wildest places.” Kiri and Lou Go Raaa! is both written and directed by the New Zealand writer / filmmaker Harry Sinclair, creator of the “Kiri and Lou” series, and director of the films The Price of Milk and Toy Love previously. Co-directed by Antony Elworthy. Produced by Fiona Copland (at Stretchy). Featuring music composed by Don McGlashan. This is premiering at the 2026 Annecy Film Festival this summer. No release dates are set – stay tuned for more. Looks good?
