Annecy International Animation Film Festival
The world's most important animation festival, held annually in June in the French Alpine town of Annecy, showcasing the full spectrum of animated filmmaking from indie shorts to studio features.
Overview
The Annecy International Animation Film Festival is the oldest and most prestigious animation festival in the world. Held annually in June in the picturesque French Alpine town of Annecy on the shores of Lake Annecy, the festival attracts over 15,000 accredited professionals and screens hundreds of animated films across features, shorts, television, commissioned work, and VR categories.
Annecy operates alongside MIFA (Marche International du Film d'Animation), the world's largest animation market. MIFA brings together studios, distributors, broadcasters, and co-producers from across the global animation industry for deal-making, pitching, and recruitment. The combination of festival and market makes Annecy the single most important event on the animation calendar.
The festival's programming spans the full range of animation, from auteur-driven independent shorts to major studio feature premieres. Pixar, Disney, DreamWorks, Illumination, Studio Ghibli, and other major studios regularly premiere or showcase their work at Annecy, while the short film and student film competitions discover emerging talent from around the world.
Key Sections
- Official Feature Films Competition -- animated features competing for the Cristal Award
- Official Short Films Competition -- animated shorts competing for the Cristal
- TV and Commissioned Films -- animated series, specials, and commercial work
- Graduation Films -- student animated films from film schools worldwide
- VR Works -- immersive animated experiences
- Work in Progress -- previews of animated features in production
- MIFA -- the international animation market (pitches, screenings, recruitment)
- Annecy Presents -- special screenings and studio showcases
What Filmmakers Should Know
Annecy accepts open submissions for all competitive categories. The festival is the single most important platform for animated short films in the world, and winning the Cristal for Best Short Film can launch a career in animation. Studio feature premieres generate global press coverage, while the short film and graduation film competitions discover the next generation of animation talent.
MIFA is essential for anyone working in the animation industry. The market includes structured pitching sessions, recruitment events, and exhibition spaces where studios and distributors present their slates. Animation professionals seeking employment, co-production partners, or distribution should attend MIFA.
Annecy's graduation film competition is the premier international platform for student animation. Film schools submit their strongest work, and winning at Annecy carries exceptional weight in the animation industry. Many Annecy graduation film winners have gone on to direct features for major studios.
Major Awards
- Cristal for Best Feature Film -- the top prize for animated features
- Cristal for Best Short Film -- the most prestigious short animation award in the world
- Jury Award -- features and shorts
- Jury Distinction -- features and shorts
- Audience Award
- Best TV Production
- Best Graduation Film
- Best VR Work
Festival History
Annecy was founded in 1960, making it the oldest animation festival in the world. The festival began as a biennial event and switched to annual editions in 1998. Annecy has documented and celebrated the entire history of animation as an art form, from the hand-drawn traditions of Disney and the Zagreb School to the CGI revolution and the current renaissance in independent and auteur animation.
See Also
For understanding the animation industry, see Animation Industry Overview. To explore frame rate decisions for animation, use the Frame Rate Calculator.
