At the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, French company Enoben stood out with its quietly powerful presence. While not a household name yet, it’s swiftly becoming one among animators who want to carry their creativity wherever they go — thanks to Callipeg, a 2D animation app designed for tablets and tailored for traditional animation techniques in a digital age.
Founded by Lise Menzin, with Benjamin Cerbai (co-founder and head of communications), Melanie Do Monte (co-founder & head of design and website), and Damien Lehmann (co-founder and head of development), Enoben has built Callipeg as an intuitive, gesture-based animation tool that is as functional for professionals as it is inviting for beginners.
“It’s really a software for everyone — students, professionals, or even hobbyists,” said Menzin. “We’re used in a wide range of countries, including the US, China, France, and the UK.”
Available on Android tablets, iPad, iPhone (as Callipeg Mini), and now in development for desktop, Callipeg is grounded in the principles of hand-drawn animation. “You can sketch and animate whenever an idea strikes,” said Cerbai. “And then export it to After Effects, Harmony, TVPaint or Blender. That portability is key.”
What sets the app apart is its timeline. “One of the most useful features is the fully manageable timeline,” explained Menzin. “It’s simple, decluttered and designed for gestures and screen rotation — ideal for animating on the go.”
The team’s approach to community-building is refreshingly organic. Cerbai creates YouTube tutorials covering everything from walk cycles to character design, and Enoben regularly shares work from its user base. “We don’t do much traditional advertising,” he said. “Instead, we focus on tutorials and reposting work from artists. It’s a way of supporting them and learning from them.”
Origins rooted in curiosity and passion
Both founders come from unconventional backgrounds. Menzin, who once represented TVPaint in Japan, visited over 100 studios there to better understand how animation is made. That experience informed her decision to eventually launch Enoben. “I didn’t study animation,” she admitted, “but working on a feature film for two and a half years helped me understand the production pipeline from within.”
Cerbai, meanwhile, discovered animation in art school — almost by accident. “I didn’t have access to formal animation education because private schools were too expensive,” he said. “So I went to a public art school. There were no animation classes, but I was allowed to experiment. I added animation to charcoal drawings, to paintings — it just evolved from there.”
Now, he juggles communications at Enoben with personal projects. One of his short films is nearing completion; another is in development. At school, he even created a documentary combining animation with live action, centred around his family’s mining history in northeastern France.
Building connections at Annecy Film Festival
Annecy Festival, with its energetic blend of studios, students and storytellers, proved a valuable experience for the team. “Half the crowd already knew us, which is huge for a small company like ours. And the other half seemed excited to discover Callipeg,” said Menzin. “What I love about Annecy is that it’s so easy to meet people — even in passing, even on your way to another meeting. You might just bump into someone and end up in a conversation at a party. That’s magic.”
Cerbai agreed. “I’ve had conversations with storyboarders, studio heads, and students. I also attended some pitch sessions for shorts and features. It’s inspiring to see how people present their ideas — especially since I’d like to pitch one of mine someday.”
As the team looks ahead to expanding Callipeg to desktop, one thing remains clear: Enoben is as much about enabling others’ creativity as it is about developing its own.
“We made Callipeg to make animating easier and more enjoyable,” said Menzin. “And we’re learning every day — just like our users.”
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