AnimaSyros International Animation Festival: 2013–2021 Coverage

The following is a compact version of articles written at Zippy Frames for the AnimaSyros International Animation Festival during this period, tracing selected developments in its programming, competitions and growing professional Agora.

2013 — AnimaSyros 6.0

The 6th AnimaSyros, held from 26–29 September 2013 in Ermoupolis, presented an increasingly international programme, with 81 short and student films in competition. Notable selections included Patrick Doyon's 'Dimanche', Amélie Harrault's 'Kiki of Montparnasse', Daniel Sousa's 'Feral', Špela Čadež's 'Boles' and Michelle and Uri Kranot's 'Hollow Land'. Greek filmmaker Constandinos Haidalis participated with 'Beast'. The jury consisted of producer Nicolas Schmerkin, Animateka artistic director Igor Prassel and Animafest Cyprus artistic director George Tsangaris.

Feature animation was also prominent. LAIKA's Oscar-nominated 'ParaNorman' screened alongside 'A Cat in Paris' and Jean-François Laguionie's 'The Painting', while the festival opened with the premiere of Greek director Angelos Spartalis's collage-animated adaptation 'From the Earth to the Moon'. Partnerships with Animateka, Animafest Cyprus, Canterbury Anifest and Lithuania's Tindiridis festival reflected AnimaSyros's growing international connections, while a substantial French programme incorporated ENSAD, Autour de Minuit and Gobelins.

2014 — AnimaSyros 7.0

The 7th edition, held 2–6 October 2014, significantly raised the festival's feature-film profile. LAIKA's 'The Boxtrolls' received its Greek premiere, introduced through a presentation by LAIKA's Mark Shapiro. Signe Baumane's autobiographical feature 'Rocks in My Pockets' also premiered in Greece as part of the Women & Anima tribute, which included Nina Paley's 'Sita Sings the Blues'. French animation was represented by Jacques-Rémy Girerd and Benoît Chieux's ecological feature 'Aunt Hilda!', alongside Girerd's earlier 'Mia and the Migoo'.

The edition combined international cinema with children's screenings, educational workshops and collaborations with Animafest Zagreb and Tallinn Black Nights/Animated Dreams. In competition, Gabriel Osorio's 'Historia de un Oso' ('Bear Story') won the main international prize from a jury comprising Ülo Pikkov, Mark Shapiro and Giorgos Mitropoulos. 'Canis' and Nassos Vakalis's 'Dinner for Few' received special mentions. Effie Pappa's 'My Stuffed Granny' won the student competition, with special mentions going to Alexandra Hetmerová's 'Mythopolis' and Lias Papastamatiou's 'Man in a Box'. The edition also created space for discussion about the present and future of Greek animation.

2015 — AnimaSyros 8.0

The 8th AnimaSyros, held 24–27 September, strengthened the festival's relationship with European animation while broadening its cultural scope. The programme featured 'Pos Eso', 'Little from the Fish Shop' and a French focus including 'My Mommy Is in America and She Met Buffalo Bill' and 'Day of the Crows'. Ari Folman appeared as a major guest, revisiting earlier work and presenting material from his developing Anne Frank project. Iranian animation and veteran Belgian filmmaker Raoul Servais were also highlighted.

Crucially, 2015 introduced the Agora, AnimaSyros's professional platform for networking and industry presentations. The wider festival connected animation with opera, music, poetry and dance and continued its emphasis on educational and accessible activities, including workshops involving people with disabilities.

The all-female international jury—Aliki Theofilopoulou, Špela Čadež and Poly Lykourgou—awarded the main prize to Florian Grolig's 'In the Distance', with Phuong Mai Nguyen's 'My Home' receiving a special mention. Kasia Nalewajka's 'Pineapple Calamari' won the student competition, while 'Pos Eso' received the feature Audience Award.

2016 — AnimaSyros 9.0

The 9th edition, held 21–25 September 2016, demonstrated the festival's growing interest in feature-length animation through a five-film competitive programme. The selection ranged widely in form and subject: Ann Marie Fleming's 'Window Horses' explored cultural identity and poetry; Roger Ross Williams's documentary 'Life, Animated' examined the role Disney films played in the life of Owen Suskind; Andy Smetanka's 'And We Were Young' used silhouette animation to recount First World War experiences; Chris Prynoski's adult comedy 'Nerdland' satirized celebrity culture; and Alberto Vázquez and Pedro Rivero's 'Psiconautas, los niños olvidados' combined a deceptively approachable visual style with ecological and social darkness. The five features competed for the festival's Audience Award.

2017 — AnimaSyros 10

For its 10th anniversary, Tomm Moore gave a masterclass on Cartoon Saloon, while Canadian filmmaker Patrick Doyon discussed the relationship between illustration and animation. Competition juries included Moore, animation historian Nancy Denney-Phelps, Carlo Vogele and other international professionals.

The anniversary edition also emphasized AnimaSyros's international orientation. 'Evropi: 28 Animation Narratives for Europe' brought together films from all 28 EU member states and accompanied them with a discussion about European identity and the animation industry. Separate focuses explored Luxembourg, Brazil and artistic links between Greece and Italy. Films included 'Mr. Hublot', 'Boy and the World', 'Nighthawk' and 'Extraordinary Tales', while the festival hosted Greek premieres of 'The Man Who Knew 75 Languages' and 'Loving Vincent'. The Agora meanwhile developed pitching, production and international-financing activities.

2018 — Expanding the Agora to Athens

By 2018, the professional component was expanding beyond Syros. The first Athens Animation Agora (3A) took place at the Onassis Cultural Centre shortly before AnimaSyros 11. Designed for professionals and students, it brought together filmmakers, producers, distributors, institutions, film schools and international animation organizations. Sessions examined production, sales and distribution, pitching, video games, children's content, festivals, animation education and institutional support. Speakers represented organizations and companies including Miyu Distribution, Autour de Minuit, MIP, TVPaint and European and Greek film institutions.

Screenings complemented the professional programme, including Nora Twomey's 'The Breadwinner' and Martin Kotík and Inna Evlannikova's 'Harvie and the Magic Museum'. In this way, the Agora was becoming not simply a festival sidebar but a bridge between the Greek animation sector and international production and distribution networks.

2021 — A hybrid professional platform

By 2021, the Agora—originally launched in 2015—had matured into a substantial four-day industry programme combining pitching, workshops, masterclasses, case studies, roundtables and meetings between filmmakers and producers. The pandemic-era edition operated physically in Ermoupolis and simultaneously online, reflecting the changed conditions of the international festival circuit.

Discussions addressed animation production during COVID-19, international co-production, career development, music and sound, streaming and media platforms, animated documentary, production companies, public funding and access to international markets. Participants included Joanna Quinn, Nancy Denney-Phelps, Nik Phelps, Ilze Burkovska Jacobsen, Kim Noce, María Lorenzo Hernández and Kristian Sensini. Case studies included 'My Favorite War' and the work-in-progress 'Aurora's Sunrise', while Annecy's Animation du Monde/Mifa initiative provided a direct connection with the international co-production landscape.

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