Annecy Festival Animation Film Festival

Annecy Festival is an animation film festival that dates back to 1967. The festival is one of the largest and highest-quality animation film festivals in the world, attracting animation creators and filmmakers from all over the world.

At the Annecy Festival, audiences can enjoy the latest animated films, including feature films, short films, TV animations, and web animations. In addition, the festival also has multiple awards to honor individuals and teams who have made outstanding contributions in the field of animation.

It is worth mentioning that the 2021 Annecy Festival cancelled offline activities due to the epidemic, but it was still held through webcasts and online screenings.

In general, the Annecy Festival is a grand event that showcases and celebrates the art of animation, providing animation creators with a platform to showcase their works and exchange ideas.

Official website of the Festival and March International du Animation Films (Mifa): more than 12,000 professionals from around the world

2022

Something extraordinary happened on Sunday, June 12, 2022. With the release of the film Bad Guys, Paquier quickly donned a star-studded dress for the early opening of the Annecy Film Festival. The stage was set!

The promised fireworks evolved into a series of screenings and parties where ideas and debates erupted, creating the animated clamor that sets the heart of Annecy ablaze every June.

Over the course of 6 days, groups of animation film lovers can gather in the Pâquier, the Parc d’s Vignières Pommaries or the esplanade of the Annecy Museum to enjoy 18 open-air screenings, both during the day and at night. 11 cinemas also take part in the festivities, with a total of nearly 115,000 spectators.

The 2022 Annecy Festival has 13,248 registered badge holders from 106 countries (of which 11,800 are non-locals); more than 300 screenings; 50,000 people attending open-air screenings; 165 events and professional conferences.

Nearly 3,000 companies participate in the International Animated Film Market (Mifa), with 6,000 square meters of floor space allocated to stands, welcoming 800 exhibitors and 4,000 professionals.

This year, Swiss animation is honored, with 13 films selected for the official competition, plus three retrospectives, one for Claude Barras, one for Marcel Barély and one for Isabelle Favis. An exceptional Swiss roster shows the richness and diversity of this vibrant animation scene. From brothers Sam and Fred Guillaume (Max&Co) to Claude Barras (My Life as a Zucchini), but also Isabelle Favez (Apple Pie), Marina Rosset (The Bear’s Hand), Micheala Müller (Miramare), Michael Frei (Plug&Play), but also Claude Luyet, Marcel Barelli, Claudius Geninetta, Anja Kofmel, Zoltán Horváth or Maja Gehrig, the guiding lights of Swiss animation shined throughout the week.

2021

After a year online, the festival continues to reinvent itself, offering an unprecedented format adapted to the pandemic. This hybrid format rises to the challenge of creating a physical and virtual event, bringing together all animation enthusiasts and professionals.

It was a “battle”, as its CEO Mickaël Marin describes it in this episode, with nearly 8,500 badasses gathered on site, half of them online. Despite the ongoing precarious health situation, professionals and the local public from 96 countries could finally celebrate the much-anticipated 60th anniversary, postponed from last year.

Overall, more than 2,700 films were submitted to the official competition, 85 Mifa online events and 74 festival events were organized, 240 live screenings and 12,897 hours of viewing by our participants.

The year was also highlighted by the celebration of African animation as part of the Africa 2020 season. Annecy welcomed, among others, the writer and professor Mohamed Ghazala and the artist Naddya Adhiambo Oluoch Olunya as jury members. The festival offered many thematic content related to the continent and Mifa also gave Africa a place of pride to showcase the richness and diversity of the region.

The Annecy International Animated Film Market counted 2,336 distress holders, including 325 buyers, distributors and investors. The Mifa Campus was fortunate to have author, screenwriter and director Marguerite Abouet as patron, while the Mifa Animation Industry Award was awarded to the African studio Triggerfish Animation Studios.

Thanks to the establishment of the Festival du Village in the heart of Harras, the public can once again come together to share some fun and joy. The XploR area dedicated to virtual reality, exhibitions and open-air screenings completes a rich week for local Annecy people.

2020

In the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Annecy International Animated Film Festival and its Mifa organizers resigned back in April to cancel the usual physical format of the Festival. However, in order to support animation professionals and meet the needs of film lovers and the public, a digital version was conceived and developed in two months.

2020 will continue to be a historic edition with the virtual launch of Annecy Online and Mifa Online on June 15. Over 15 days, 15,570 badge holders (a record) from 111 countries were able to access innovative and adapted formats, content and tools, to discover the 2020 Official Selection and also to continue their professional activities and discussions about the animation industry, all online.

Finally, more than 3,000 films were submitted to the Official Competition, 40 Mifa events and 30 festival events were organized, more than 27 hours of live broadcasts and 451 videos, or 80 hours of unique content available on the Annecy Online platform.

Mifa Online received 4,130 badge holders who viewed 1,120 works in the media library and received 2,074 virtual stands, who were able to discover and participate in discussions with professionals in the sector using a range of tools on the Annecy network, which sent more than 37,000 messages.

2019

Annecy International Animated Film Festival continues to break records, with 12,300 badasses registered in 2019, from 92 countries and 3,139 entries in the film competition.

This edition awarded Jean-François Laguione the Medal of Honor. In addition, two new competition categories were created: a feature film section Contrechamp that explores new forms of animation, and VR works were competitive for the first time through a prize and jury dedicated to it.

XR@Annecy - was integrated throughout the event, Mifa and the conference. The public also experienced it first-hand in the open VR Dome Center.

In 12 years, the Annecy International Film Market continues to grow, expanding its surface area to 8,000 m2, with 4,143 badge holders and 1,881 companies. Nora Twomey and Marc du Pontavice became patrons of the Mifa Campus for the first time and received the Mifa Animation Industry Award.

Finally, Japanese animation was the focus this year, with the presence of our guest of honor Yôichi Kotabe, trailers, legendary films, exhibitions, delegations, stands and Charlotte Gastaut's Japanese posters.

2018

The 2018 Annecy International Animated Film Festival broke all records. There were 11,700 badge holders, 3,086 films submitted to the selection committee and 93 countries participated in the selection.

The tribute to Brazilian animation, with the theme "Music and Animated Film", added rhythm and color to the event. A delegation of 54 companies represented Brazil at Mifa, with a stand area of ​​45m². Exhibitions, special screenings, concert films, musical performances, jury members, Territory Focus, sound creation workshops and masterclasses were punctuated during the week to put these themes in the spotlight.

Mifa also broke all records this year, with a larger surface area of ​​7231 m2, 3800 badge holders, 827 exhibitors, 75 countries represented and 468 projects submitted to Mifa Pitches. New media were used to strengthen the market proposition: market screenings, filming of book animations, presentations, meetings with composers… Finally, the Mifa Animation Industry Award was awarded for the first time to an organization, the Association of Women in Animation, confirming Annecy’s commitment to equality at the heart of the organization.

2017

This year the Festival reached a huge milestone with 10,000 certifications! In addition, the number of films submitted continued to increase, with 230 officially selected from 2850 registered films.

China, the guest country of the event, was represented throughout the event. The country’s flag was represented by 130 delegates, covering 183 m2 of the Mifa Pavilion. There were special programs dedicated to Chinese animation, as well as the beautiful exhibition China, a performance by Sun Xun and much more.

Mifa continues to expand in all directions, reaching 6,000 square meters, 9% more certifications, 200 more companies and 16% more buyers, distributors and investors. This year, the Mifa Campus dedicated a whole day to students, with Guillermo del Toro as their mentor. It is the pair of distributors who have won the Mifa & Variety Animation Personality of the Year Award: Marc Bonny of Gebeka Films and Eric Beckman of GKIDS.

2016

The Annecy Film Festival breaks records again this year, exceeding the record of 9,150 qualified visitors, 2,700 films in competition for the Official Selection and 400 projects in competition for the Mifa Pitch. Likewise, countless special programs are organized around three special themes: French Animation, Advertising Animation and the French/Korean Commemorative Year.

This year's edition includes a large number of key figures from the animation world, many excellent film trailers that delight the audience, and the new format of the ongoing conferences of Rencontres and TV Series, which have already gained wide success with the public.

As for the awards, this year's Honorary Cristal Award went to renowned producer Didier Brunner, while Mifa & Variety's Animated Personality of the Year Award went to Peter Lord and David Sproxton, co-founders of Aardman Animation Studios.

Mifa celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2015, continuing to confirm its strategic positioning as the top international animation film market. Proof of this: visits by French President François Hollande and French Minister of Culture and Communication Audrey Azoulay.

2015

Annecy 2015 was a record-breaking year across the board: number of certifications, countries represented, previews and films received. The event also welcomed many celebrities from the animation world. Women in animation and Spain, two topics that were in the spotlight this year, were equally well received. The ladies were generally well represented, with Florence Miai receiving the Medal of Honor and Regina Pessoa creating the official poster.

Some of the biggest animation studios visited Mifa, which also celebrated its 30th anniversary. It was the perfect time for Mifa & Variety's Animation Personality of the Year Award, which went to Chris Meledandri, one of the most prominent figures in the industry.

Other new formats were also launched in 2015: Studio Spotlight sessions, which enabled studios to present their latest works; Keynotes, which allowed big names in animation such as Chris Meledandri and Genndy Tartakovsky to share their knowledge and experience; World Animation Festival (Animation du Monde Pitches), which focused on animation production in emerging countries, and Student Snack Time, which awarded some of the youngest filmmakers.

2014

Stop-motion animation has been in the spotlight this year, with many special programs, conferences and exhibitions dedicated to this technique, as well as a festival poster created by Franck Dion. Annecy was proud to welcome Isao Gohata, who also received the Honorary Christ Award.

New for 2014 is the creation of a competitive short film category "Animation Forbidden Zone", which is also part of the MyHomeFestival online program.

The conferences were able to find a relative public after being redesigned, expanded and divided into three categories: Creation, Business and Production Organization.

Mifa also saw a sharp increase in the number of exhibiting companies, with major American companies including Nickelodeon, Disney, Pixar and Cartoon Network. Next year, the market will celebrate its 30th birthday, providing a perfect opportunity to celebrate the development of the animation industry and its future.

2013

The 2013 festival was full of extraordinary events, such as Poland as guest country, the special Christ Award for the career of Jerzy Kucia, Calimeiro's 50th birthday, many previews and screenings. The public votes for the films through the selection of the funniest film and the audience award and, above all, the event is marked by the style of the new artistic director, Marcel Jean.

Minister of Culture Aurélie Filippetti visits Mifa and unveils new sessions such as Mifa Talks and Sharing Sessions.

New studios such as Illumination Mac Guff, Laika or Method Animation were also able to appreciate the recruitment sessions of the Creative Focus.

Figures: 7,100 accredited delegates, of which 2,400 from Mifa.

2012

Ireland was the guest country in 2012 with a rich and varied programme, including several trailers such as The Suicide Shop by Patrice Leconte and The Lorax by Dr. Seuss.

Mifa’s new events and spaces (Territory Focus, Mifa Screenings, Demo Room…) give more visibility to the companies and countries that visit and encourage networking possibilities throughout the week.

25 projects are presented at the Creative Focus. There was also a focus on African animation and 19 recruitment conferences. More than 900 people attended the conferences.

2011

The focus on American independent animation was one of the main highlights of the Annecy 2011 program.

Mifa: Program Overview, Ankama 10th Birthday, SFPA, UniFrance and Canal+ Family Press Conference.

**Dear guests, the Festival is proud to welcome Reiji Matsumoto! **

The Minister of Culture, Frédéric Mitterrand, was also present at the Festival and presented the Annecy YouTube Award 2011 in a Disney Special.

2000s: A thriving festival!

15 full-time staff on the organizing committee

A team of 15 full-time staff was formed, supervised by Tiziana Loschi and chaired by Dominique Puthod. After the death of Jean-Luc Xiberras, Serge Bromberg took over as artistic director of the festival in 1999, creating a collective organization to develop the entire event.

Roy Disney 40th Anniversary Celebration

Serge Bromberg invited Roy Disney to be honorary president of the 40th birthday edition of the festival. This symbolic gesture proved that Annecy had matured and that the event should no longer be seen as an alternative to American animation, but as a melting pot for all animation. It was from here that Annecy was able to develop with confidence in its relationship with the profession.

More and more premieres

In the 2000s, the number of preview screenings increased significantly, and media coverage of the event also increased. More and more animated feature films also began to be produced in France and Europe, providing an easier editorial balance in the presentation of the film event.

Creation of CITIA, the City of Moving Images

In 2006, the fusion of the two associations, Cica and Pumma, gave rise to the CITIA Public Cultural Cooperation Agency (EPCC – Public Agency for Cultural Cooperation). Patrick Eveno takes over the management after being recruited to work on a project based on the "moving image" and focusing on three complementary areas: culture, education and economy. From then on, 30 people will work at CITIA all year round, organizing the Festival, Mifa and other events.

Full-fledged festival

In 2008, the Festival's main figures increased: 6,700 registered delegates, equivalent to a 10% increase in attendance, 1,867 films submitted, 284 officially selected, 300 journalists in attendance, 20% more exhibition space at Mifa, 3,000 m² of exhibition space for more than 1,100 companies registered. The following year, the Festival made a global impact through its involvement at local and regional levels.

**2010s: 50 years of unwavering commitment! **

The 34th Festival also celebrated its 50th birthday in 2010. More than 50 high-profile guests traveled to Annecy to celebrate this anniversary with international wide coverage.

A collection of 5 DVDs and a book, Creatures and Creators, containing drawings by leading artists from the world of animation, were created especially for the occasion.

Main developments between 1983 and 1997

American studios come

From 1985 onwards, the American studios are increasingly visible at the event, proof that the changes of 1983 are bearing fruit. That year, the public saw nine Oscar-winning films produced by the Disney studios, followed by a tribute to Warner Bros. in 1987 and a visit by a large Disney delegation in 1989.

Growth in numbers

Between 1983 and 1997, the event experienced double-digit growth, with the number of participants increasing from 900 in 1983 to 4,300 in 1997 and the number of films received increasing from 386 to 1,271. All this was due to a favorable environment, shortened production deadlines, the event's expansion policy and the creation of the Film Market. These factors also led to a significant increase in media coverage, with more than 250 journalists attending the event at the end of the 90s.

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Until 1981, the visiting public consisted mainly of members of film clubs and professionals from the art world. From 1983 onwards, the success of the event, as well as the development of the sector, led to an increase in the number of visiting professionals from the cultural and economic aspects of the sector. In 1993, Cica built for the first time a huge screen outside the Pâquier lawn so that the local public could watch the films and have a real contact with the festival.

The coming year

In September 1997, the Board voted to make the event annual, for several reasons: increase in productions, difficulty in selection, rejection of too many films, competition with other events, the need for an annual market and a full-time organizing team. Thanks to this decision, Annecy was able to consolidate its position as the leading international animation festival.

The 80s: Considering the economic dimension

The break in 1982

In 1981, the arrival of a new government interested in a policy of decentralization made it possible for Annecy to take over the event. The CNC was ready to support this initiative, and ASIFA, under pressure from international filmmakers, also wanted to see changes in the festival and its film selection process. The talks officially began between the CNC, Senator Charles Bosson (founding president of the festival) and Pierre Jacquir, president of Jica. In the end, it was decided not to renew the contract with the director, to transfer the administration from Paris to Annecy and to set up an international selection committee.

New ambitions

In July 1982, Jean-Luc Xiberras was hired to develop these new policies and reconnect with the animation industry, which had been divided after the death of the event's director. The Annecy Film Club also kept its distance and supported Raymond Maillet, who wanted to create another film festival. The 1983 festival was organized in this somewhat controversial climate, taking place in the newly built Bonlieu Cultural Center. The presence of several theaters now made it possible to screen simultaneously in different formats and with different media, something that would have been unthinkable in the old Casino Theater. The original idea of ​​a film market was taking off and thematic conferences were also organized. By opening up to all aspects of animation, culture and technology, Annecy 1983 proved to be a real success.

New format of the competition

In 1984, Marie Noëlle Provent succeeded Pierre Jacquir as director of Jica. The organizing association became the Centre International des Animations (International Center for Animated Films) and adopted a new status aimed at expanding activities related to animation and promoting the local roots of the activity. From that time on, the development of the animation and audiovisual sectors was taken into account when making decisions. After the inclusion of commissioned films in the competition in 1983, a competition category was also created for television films in 1985.

Creating a Film Market

Appointed in 1981, the Minister of Culture, Jack Lang, gave a real opportunity to the development of the event by promoting a "new image" and developing an "image plan". Based on this, Cica and the Octet agency jointly organized the first International Animated Film Market (Mifa) in 1985. Jack Lang stated that this market "responded to the need to now take into account the development of the entire industry, especially in terms of the economy". For Cica, the market gave films that appeared in the official selection a better chance to find distributors. The government policies developed in the 80s created a favorable environment for the emergence of French animation and the national economy.

The 70s: A decade of contrasts Jica returns

The festival returns thanks to the commitment of Charles Bosson, senator and mayor of Annecy, film directors and the film club. Raymond Maillet, Pierre Barbin's right-hand man and an animation fan with an extraordinary knowledge of films and filmmakers, takes over Jica and attendance by professionals and spectators increases until 1975. During this period, regular exhibitions held in the castle museum particularly highlight the heritage aspect. But this attendance curve reverses in 1977, certainly due to the emergence of new events, but also due to the increasingly bitter disputes between Annecy, the Parisian administrative office and film directors.

The 60s: Jica comes to Annecy

Active film club

The presence of an active film club in Savoy, coupled with the close contact of its main members with the team during the festival activities, makes it easier to organize the International Film Festival (Jica) in Annecy, with Pierre Barbin as executive director and André Martin and Michel Boschet as event assistants.

The First Jica

In 1956, Henri Moret and Georges Gondran, the leaders of the Cinema Club, attended the first festival held in conjunction with the main film festival in Cannes. From the meeting of the two groups, the seeds of an idea were stitched to set up a festival dedicated to animation in Annecy. The town had many advantages due to its proximity to Geneva and the airport, the presence of a theatre, and the large audiences attracted by the work of the Cinema Club, and in 1959 the city council voted to host the event.

A Fiercely Competitive Festival

In 1960, Annecy hosted the third Jica Festival, which was highly competitive. At the same time, the foundations of the International Association of Animated Films (ASIFA) were being laid and the concept of animation was gradually institutionalized. In 1963, the festival was changed to odd years in order to combat the competition. The following year, an agreement was signed with ASIFA confirming the biennial nature of the Annecy Festival and gradually developing the guidelines for a major event through a rigorous selection process, tributes, retrospectives, publications, exhibitions, special guests and the presence of 25 foreign delegations.

A year without a festival

At the beginning of 1968, Pierre Barbin was appointed artistic director of the Cinémathèque française, replacing Henri Langlois, and then resigned in April, sparking a major national situation. The following year, the festival did not take place, as the CNC was unable to provide financial support. The state was involved through the Minister of Cultural Affairs, André Malraux, who proposed abandoning the event.