Overview
The Hiroshima Animation Season (HAS) is an international animation festival held biennially in Hiroshima, Japan. The 3rd edition (HAS 2026) runs August 19 to 23, 2026, at JMS Aster Plaza and Yokogawa Cinema. It is the only Academy Award-qualifying film festival in Japan dedicated solely to animation. The Short Film Competition Grand Prix winner gains eligibility for US Academy Award nomination consideration.
HAS 2026 received 3,181 submissions from 110 countries and regions, setting a new festival record and significantly exceeding the 2,634 submissions from 97 countries for HAS 2024 and the 2,149 submissions for HAS 2022. From these, 76 films (71 shorts and 5 features) were selected for the official competition.
The festival is organized around three pillars: the Competition, which determines the Grand Prix and other prizes from global submissions; the Awards, which honor individuals who have made significant contributions to animation in the Pan-Pacific and Asia regions; and the Academy, which connects animation with education. The artistic director is Koji Yamamura, an acclaimed animator whose works have been selected for competitions at major festivals worldwide.
The festival's identity is connected to Hiroshima's history as the site of the first atomic bomb attack in 1945. The founding vision connected animation's capacity for emotional expression with the city's reconstruction and peace advocacy. This orientation toward humanistic themes remains central to the festival's programming.
Submission Details
Submissions are made through FilmFreeway. Full submission guidelines are available as a PDF on the competition page.
HAS 2026 submission timeline:
- Submission opens: December 1, 2025 (10:00 JST)
- Early Bird deadline (free submission): March 22, 2026
- Regular deadline: April 12, 2026 (23:59 JST)
- Selection results announced: May 2026
- Festival dates: August 19 to 23, 2026
Entry fees:
- Early Bird (December 1 to March 22): Free
- Regular (March 23 to April 12): 5,000 JPY per film (approximately $33 USD)
Competition categories:
- Short Competition - films 30 minutes or less, produced in any country
- Feature Competition - films over 30 minutes, produced in any country
- Pan-Pacific and Asia Youth Competition - youth animation from the Pan-Pacific and Asia region
- Japanese Commissioned Film Competition - commissioned works (commercials, music videos, TV specials, educational/promotional content) produced in Japan, any length
The organizer and selection committee determine the categorization of each submission. Films can be submitted to only one category.
Eligibility requirements:
- Submitted work must be an animated film
- No restrictions on technique used
- Only films for a single screen are eligible (VR films are not eligible)
- Films must have been completed on or after April 1, 2024
- No restrictions on length for the Japanese Commissioned Film Competition
Selected films:
- The festival provides accommodation for a director or producer of selected films during the festival period
- International juries determine award winners for Short Film, Pan-Pacific/Asia Youth, and Japan Commissioned Works competitions
- Feature Film competition winner is chosen by public votes
- Awards announced at the Closing Ceremony on August 23, 2026
Key Sections
- Short Competition - animated short films (30 minutes or less) from around the world, competing for the Grand Prix and category awards
- Feature Competition - animated feature films (over 30 minutes) from any country, winner chosen by audience vote
- Pan-Pacific and Asia Youth Competition - youth animation from the Pan-Pacific and Asia region
- Japanese Commissioned Film Competition - commissioned animation works produced in Japan (commercials, music videos, TV specials, educational content)
- Awards Program - honors individuals who have made significant contributions to animation in the Pan-Pacific and Asia regions
- Academy Program - connects animation with education, including the H-Air Hiroshima Artist in Residence program for animation professionals
- Screenings and Events - talk sessions, networking opportunities, and special programs with attending filmmakers
What Filmmakers Should Know
Hiroshima is the most significant animation competition in the Asia-Pacific region and the only Academy Award-qualifying animation festival in Japan. The Short Film Competition Grand Prix winner gains eligibility for US Academy Award nomination consideration.
The festival's submission volume has grown rapidly: 2,149 entries in 2022, 2,634 in 2024, and 3,181 in 2026. Despite this growth, the selection remains intimate at 76 films, making the acceptance rate approximately 2.4%. The festival provides accommodation for one director or producer per selected film, reducing the financial burden of attendance.
The Early Bird submission period (December 1 to March 22) is free. After that, the fee is 5,000 JPY per film. The festival accepts submissions through FilmFreeway.
For animators from Asia and the Pan-Pacific region, the Pan-Pacific and Asia Youth Competition provides a dedicated platform. The Japanese Commissioned Film Competition recognizes commercial and commissioned animation work, a category that most animation festivals do not include.
The H-Air Hiroshima Artist in Residence program offers residency opportunities for animation professionals working on new projects. The residency period is approximately 92 days (June to August), with 3 artists selected.
The festival's connection to peace and human dignity gives it a moral dimension that separates it from other animation festivals. The founding vision of Renzo Kinoshita and Sayoko Kinoshita in 1985 connected animation's emotional expressiveness with Hiroshima's identity as a city that experienced atomic devastation and rebuilt.
Past Winners
HAS 2024 Short Competition Grand Prix:
- Beautiful Men (dir. Nicolas Keppens, Belgium/France/Netherlands, 2023) - Stop-motion film about three balding brothers traveling to Istanbul for hair transplants. Also won the Alexeief-Parker Award at Annecy 2024 and Best Narrative Short at Ottawa 2024. Nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards (2025). Distributed by Miyu Distribution; available on the Bang Bang YouTube channel and ARTE.
HAS 2022 Grand Prix:
- Darwin's Notebook (dir. Georges Schwizgebel, Switzerland, 2020) - Hand-drawn animation about Darwin's encounter with three Indigenous people from Tierra del Fuego. Also won the Audience Award at HAS 2022. Schwizgebel is one of animation's most respected independent filmmakers, with works regularly selected for the Annecy "100 most memorable films" list.
Historical Grand Prix winners of note:
- The Man Who Planted Trees (dir. Frederic Back, Canada, 1987) - Won the 1988 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film after taking the Hiroshima Grand Prix. One of the most celebrated animated shorts ever made.
- Mt. Head (dir. Koji Yamamura, Japan, 2004) - Yamamura, now the festival's artistic director, won the Grand Prix for this film, which was also nominated for an Academy Award.
- Father and Daughter (dir. Michael Dudok de Wit, Netherlands, 2002) - Won the 2001 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film before taking the Hiroshima Grand Prix.
Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up
The Hiroshima Grand Prix has a strong track record of identifying films that go on to major recognition. The Man Who Planted Trees (1987) won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film the following year. Father and Daughter (2002) by Michael Dudok de Wit had already won the Oscar when it took the Hiroshima prize. Mt. Head (2004) by Koji Yamamura received an Academy Award nomination.
The 2024 Grand Prix winner, Beautiful Men by Nicolas Keppens, was nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards in 2025. It won the Alexeief-Parker Award at Annecy 2024 and Best Narrative Short at Ottawa 2024.
This pattern makes Hiroshima one of the most reliable Oscar predictors among animation festivals. Multiple Grand Prix winners have received Academy Award nominations or wins.
Submission Tips Specific to This Festival
Hiroshima's programming leans toward films with emotional depth and humanistic themes, reflecting the festival's founding connection to Hiroshima's peace advocacy. The category awards specifically recognize "A Slice of Society" (social reality), "Contemporary Tale" (storytelling), "Fictive World" (imagination), and "Visual Poetry" (artistic expression).
The Early Bird deadline (December 1 to March 22) is free. Submit during this window to avoid the 5,000 JPY fee. The festival accepts only animated films for a single screen (no VR). Films completed on or after April 1, 2024 are eligible for HAS 2026.
For the Japanese Commissioned Film Competition, the festival uniquely accepts commercials, music videos, TV specials, and educational content.
Industry Reputation Notes
Hiroshima is the only Academy Award-qualifying animation festival in Japan and the most significant animation competition in the Asia-Pacific region. Among animation festivals, it sits alongside Annecy (France), Ottawa (Canada), and Zagreb (Croatia) as one of the world's top-tier competitive animation events. Annecy is larger and more industry-focused. Ottawa programs independent and artistic animation with a curatorial edge. Hiroshima distinguishes itself through its peace-oriented identity and its Pan-Pacific and Asia focus.
The festival's Oscar-qualifying status makes it a direct pathway to Academy Award consideration for short-form animators. The 2.4% acceptance rate makes it highly competitive, comparable to Annecy's selection rate.
Awards / Accreditation
Academy Award Qualifying Status: The Short Competition Grand Prix winner gains eligibility for US Academy Award nomination consideration in the Best Animated Short Film category. This is the only such qualifying status held by any animation festival in Japan.
Short Competition: Grand Prix (top prize, Academy Award-qualifying), plus category awards for "A Slice of Society" (social reality), "Contemporary Tale" (storytelling), "Fictive World" (imagination), and "Visual Poetry" (artistic expression).
Feature Competition: Grand Prix, chosen by public audience vote.
Pan-Pacific and Asia Youth Competition: Grand Prix plus named jury awards.
Japanese Commissioned Film Competition: Grand Prix plus named jury awards.
Audience Award: Grand Prix, chosen by festival audience vote across all categories.
Festival History
The Hiroshima International Animation Festival was founded in 1985 by Renzo Kinoshita and Sayoko Kinoshita. The founding vision connected animation's capacity for emotional expression with Hiroshima's identity as a city that had experienced atomic devastation in 1945 and rebuilt.
The festival was reorganized in 2022 as the "Hiroshima Animation Season" (HAS), becoming the main program of the Media Arts Division of the broader Hiroshima Festival. The first edition under the new format (HAS 2022) received 2,149 submissions. HAS 2024 grew to 2,634 submissions from 97 countries, and HAS 2026 set a new record with 3,181 submissions from 110 countries.
The festival takes place at JMS Aster Plaza and Yokogawa Cinema in Hiroshima. The 2026 edition (August 19 to 23) represents the third edition under the HAS format.
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See Also
To calculate the return on your festival submission spending, use the Festival ROI Calculator. For animation techniques and terminology, visit the Filmmaker Glossary. For festival circuit planning, see Film Festival Strategy. For full submission guidelines, visit the HAS 2026 Competition page.
